Maiden of the Crescent Moon
by XIII BlackCat
Summary: Sesshoumaru is full demon, Inu-Yasha is a hanyou, and their sister, Mikazuki, is full human. Together, they journey to find their father's final legacy…
1. Introduction

Dear Readers,

It's been more than four years since I've posted any writing. During this time, I got countless emails asking me when my next story was coming out and if I had given up writing. Don't worry, I haven't give up at all! However, due to entering high school and college, my schedule has gotten tighter. My writing style has also changed slightly, for as I mature, my writings mature as well. During these four years, I have written over twenty more stories, however, more and more are becoming less fanfictions and more originals. Some stories are also incomplete, which is the reason why it was never uploaded on Fanfiction.

Thanks to all my devoted readers, especially anime.maniac.626 and her encouraging personal emails, I am considering uploading my collections of fanfictions finished or not. It's not for certain, however. Please don't be disappointed by the change in my style.

I'll begin by uploading this InuYasha story that I had all intentions of finishing writing, yet never did. I hope everyone enjoys it!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UNDYING SUPPORT!!

BlackCat


	2. Sign of the Crescent Moon

_Can't move… Night upon night…day upon day… And still I can't move…_

Sesshoumaru growled to himself as he leaned back against the tree. He sighed. Darn that Jaken! If that stupid toad had taken care of Rin properly, the way he was instructed, the Lord of Western Lands would not be lying here, wounded and unable to move for the past days.

_I must heal soon, _the young youkai lord looked down at the Tenseiga at his waist. _If I only had the Tetsusaiga as well_… _That insolent puppy who claims to be my brother does not deserve such power as the Tetsusaiga._

Sesshoumaru's sharp sense of smell all of a sudden picked up something.

_The scent of a human…!_

His finely featured face remained expressionless. Even if he was hurt, a human was no threat. The great Sesshoumaru can take care of it. His muscles tensed under his elaborate clothes as he waited. When she at last appeared, she wasn't all he expected her to be.

She was a young maiden, around the age of fifteen, wearing a deep violet robe, symbolizing regal and noble breeding. Her sable black hair was down past her hips, and her deep violet eyes were viewing him with an air of curiosity and something Sesshoumaru couldn't place his fingers on.

_A child…? _He wrinkled his nose in disgust. The young lord sighed and leaned back, though still uncomfortable with a human's presence around him. He watched from her from the corner of his eye, and saw her gave a start at the bloodstains on his shirt.

He finally lost his patience and turned to her, giving a low, threatening growl. He really wasn't in the mood to kill young female humans today, and if that mortal wants to live, she'd better take the hint and leave.

But, to Sesshoumaru's hostility, the girl crossed from the bushes and came closer willfully. She seemed to be unafraid of him at all, to his irritation. He rose and extended his claws, but his strength failed him and all he could do was slump back with defeat. However, his eyes were determined. If it were the last thing he does, Sesshoumaru would get rid of this annoying, disturbing female!

His sharp nose once again detected a scent reflecting off the young female's body that he disliked.

_This maiden…is trying to save me…_

Sesshoumaru finally turned toward her, his face stony and his eyes smoky. Then, something hit him. It was a small dart, blown from the slender tube in the maiden's grip. He let out a small hiss, not from pain, but from surprise. This wench had the nerve!

Fury burned through him as he drew together enough energy to jump up and finish her off. But suddenly, Sesshoumaru felt a peculiar feeling running through his body. Gasping in surprise, he felt his eyelids getting heavier and his body growing numb and relaxed.

A paralysis sleeping potion!

He tried to open his eyes as he sensed the girl getting closer. But even when he felt two hands placed on his chest, he couldn't move to stop her. But she seemed to have a purpose for doing everything she's doing. He heard her murmur softly to herself before feeling the warmth of energy surging through his paralyzed body.

The last thing Sesshoumaru saw before his world turned pitch black was a blinding light and the shape of a crescent moon…

* * *

Meanwhile, over across the forest of trees where Sesshoumaru was, Inu-Yasha was sitting in the classic Inu-Yasha sitting style lazily. But he was far from being relaxed.

"Are guys done yet?!" He hollered with the usual sullen scowl on his face. Kagome and Sango were soaking in the hot spring with Shippo, leaving Inu-Yasha with Miroku. As usual, Inu-Yasha was impatient to move on, to finish their mission, find the last shard from Naraku, and deliver the whole Shikon Jewel. The hanyou's dog-like ears twitched as he reached out and snatched the corner of Miroku's robe. "No, you don't. Not with me around, you pervert." He said darkly. The monk grinned sheepishly.

"I think we should get closer, Inu-Yasha, that way, we can save them faster if they need help."

"We are close enough where we are now." Inu-Yasha glowered. "You've seen my speed. If they get in trouble—which they won't—I'll be there faster than you can say—"

"Inu-Yasha!" Miroku pointed sharply toward the hot spring. "What's that over there? I saw something move!" He hauled the hanyou over to a cluster of bushes. "It's right here, I saw something." He whispered. He leaned over and began examining something engagingly. Inu-Yasha leaned over to get a closer look.

"MIROKU! INU-YASHHHHHAAAAAA!!" Screams blew through Inu-Yasha's eardrums.

"Aiieeeee!! Perverts!" A rock was thrown toward him. "Hentai!! Freaks!! Go AWAYYYYYY!!"

Inu-Yasha dragged Miroku after him as he ran for his life, his face flaming red. Then, he realized that the monk had set him up all along. He stopped running and threw Miroku down into the ground.

"Fool!" He hissed. "You almost got us killed back there! I can't believe you—"

"Hey," Miroku got up and dusted himself calmly, a dreamy look in his eyes. "At least we got to see…"

"You know there's going to be hell to pay when they get out of the hot spring." Inu-Yasha crossed his arms, his fire-colored eyes narrowing as if the tension in the air were a haze he had to see through. "And they think taking a peek at them was all _my_ idea. Monk, you're just lucky that I'm not in the mood to beat the bloody pulp out of you, or else—" From the corner of his eyes, he saw something move. He turned, his ears twitching. Then, he frowned.

Was that a _girl_…crawling on the ground? Was she hurt…or was she trying not to be seen by them? Inu-Yasha stood up.

"Hey! Hey, you!"

_I must touch that light_, the girl slowly continued on, as if Inu-Yasha hasn't spoken. _I need to get back to the palace. I need to touch it. It would give me enough strength to return home. Lord Kagewaki will take care of me, then._

Irked from being ignored, Inu-Yasha gave a growl and yelled out again. "I said, 'Who the hell are you and what the hell do you want?!'"

_What in bloody hell?! _Inu-Yasha's eyes grew wide. _That wench is heading toward Kagome's backpack! She's after the Shikon Jewel!!_

"Stay away from that backpack!" With a leap, Inu-Yasha closed in on her. "Are you freakin' deaf or something!?" He almost reached her just as her hand found the jar containing the almost completed Shikon Jewel and closed around it.

Then came a light so blinding that Inu-Yasha stopped running and stood still, stunned.

"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome, who had heard Inu-Yasha's commotion, had grabbed her clothes and was now dressed. Sango hurried after her toward Inu-Yasha, who was frozen in the middle of the forest, blinking.

"What's wrong?" Sango huffed, her bone boomerang ready.

"What happened?" Miroku demanded at the same time. Kagome picked up the little jar of shards, which was shinning more brilliantly than ever.

"I thought—" Inu-Yasha shook his head. "I thought someone was trying to run off with the Shikon."

"It wasn't just your imagination?" Sango questioned hesitantly, raising an eyebrow.

"No! I know I saw someone." Inu-Yasha narrowed his eyes with suspicion and thoughtfulness. "She was dressed in the same style as the water goddess in that village." The girl was somehow…familiar. And her scent, it seemed to bring back something memorable. Then, he took the shard from the demon exterminator and murmured to himself quietly. "Funny, I could have sworn I saw the shape of a crescent moon before she disappeared…"


	3. The Maiden with a Secret

"My Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken said as they followed Sesshoumaru, crossing the forest with quick, unmerciful speed. "Jaken is so glad to see you well yet once again, my lordship. But just _where_ are we going in such a speed?"

Sesshoumaru ignored his henchman as he walked for another few minutes. He stopped and began walking slower when he heard a low, small whimper from behind him and sighed quietly to himself. Whether he likes it or now, Jaken was right. He _was_ going way too fast. Too fast for Rin to keep up. And same with Jaken, though in Sesshoumaru's point of view, it was Jaken's own fault.

He stopped after a while. His nose twitched with the familiar aura that he had never being able to forget.

"Jaken."

"Yes, M'lord?" The short toad hurried toward him.

"This is where you and Rin will stay and wait for me." He voice was silky and quiet. This was a safe place to wait. There's a stream nearby, and the demon lord couldn't smell many demons that had been here recently.

"W-wait for you, M'lord?!" Jaken gawked, before protesting, jerking on Aun—the double-headed dragon, Sesshoumaru's transportation for Rin—'s leash. "But you and I…you…"

"You will wait for me." Sesshoumaru said calmly. "With Rin. I will be gone for a few days the most."

Rin cocked her head before running up to the youkai. She clutched onto the demon's hand and gave a small pout.

"Rin go with Sesshoumaru!" She declared firmly.

"No, Rin." The Lord of Western Lands knelt down so he was eye level to the girl. "You must stay here."

"But-but," Rin's eyes filled with tears. "Rin want to stay with Sesshoumaru. Jaken…" She looked back at the henchman.

"Jaken will treat you nicely." Sesshoumaru picked up her reluctance and gave Jaken a look that chilled his henchman to the bones. "Or else…" Jaken visibly shuddered from his position.

"Okay…" Rin said cheerfully. "Sesshoumaru-sama come back and get Rin soon! Rin will be good while you're gone."

"Good."

With that, he turned from them and flew smoothly above the trees, out of their sight.

* * *

"You know, Inu-Yasha," Miroku scratched his head as he hurried after the hanyou. "It's okay if we're walking this fast, but what bothers all of us is when we don't know where you're going."

"Feh," Inu-Yasha smirked. "Chill, monk. I'm not looking for a fight today."

"But we're usually never in such a hurry." Miroku protested. "You must have something in mind that we don't know about. You—" Sango put a hand up to stop him.

"What Sir monk is trying to say," the young exterminator took over pleasantly. "Is that we would like to know exactly where we're heading."

"Heh," Inu-Yasha turned around. "Yo, Kagome!" She looked up from her pink bike. "Is the speed too fast for you to keep up?"

"Well," the high school girl looked embarrassed. "It is a bit difficult to cross through these uneven roads with the bike…" She sniffed a little bit and said in a small voice, "I'm sorry, Inu-Yasha…"

He stared at her before scoffing, "Feh, there's nothing to be sorry about. In the next town, you guys will wait for me there." Miroku perked up.

"Wait for you?"

"Where are you going?" Shippo quipped. The small fox-demon was sitting contently on Kagome's shoulders, munching on a type of sweets that Kagome brought from her world called "cookies."

"Yes, you guys will wait for me there." Inu-Yasha said curtly without looking at the group. "This is something I must do by myself. You guys will only slow me down and mess things up if you came along."

_There's something about that maiden…_ he thought to himself quietly. _When she first appeared, I felt something that I haven't felt ever since…I don't ever remember when. And that feeling… That…feeling… I don't like not knowing how I feel. I know I felt something._

_…But what?_

"Well, I like that!" The kitsune piped up. "We'll slow you down and mess you up. In case you've forgotten, we've saved your behind plenty of times!" He gave a howl when Inu-Yasha's fist descended on his head, giving him a bump.

"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome cried. "That's not very nice!"

"Don't you know by now, Kagome? I'm _not_ nice!"

"SIT!"

_Wham! _Inu-Yasha fell face flat into the dirt ground. He lifted his head up, gasping for air. "Kagome, you—"

"I told you not to pick on Shippo!" She scolded, cuddling the kitsune in her arms. The emerald-eyed fox knew he had the advantage and stuck his tongue out at Inu-Yasha.

"Nah, nah…" He taunted without volume, mouthing the words at a seething Inu-Yasha.

"Why, you little—" The half-dog demon attempted to get up to trounce the little creature.

"SIT!"

"Inu-Yasha," Miroku sighed. "For once, learn your lesson and shut up."

"Humph," Inu-Yasha got up and dusted himself off with whatever dignity he had left. "I know that."

And he was quiet with thought for the rest of the time, until they got to the designated town. Then, without a word, not even a good-bye, Inu-Yasha hurried away, away from the village, toward that peculiarly familiar scent of the mysterious maiden.

* * *

Sesshoumaru lifted his head up and took a deep breath of the cool air in the forest. Then, he smirked. It seemed that conveniently, that half-brother of his was coming his way. The scent of that hanyou was getting strong, but Sesshoumaru made no move to continue on his way, instead, he stood his ground, waiting, until Inu-Yasha appeared.

Inu-Yasha pushed his way out of a thicket and immediately barked, "Sesshoumaru!"

"Your senses are becoming slow, little brother." The prince slowly drawled. "You cannot even smell me ten feet away, while I smelled you when you were miles away. You truly are pathetic." He sighed emotionlessly in front of Inu-Yasha's face.

"I can smell you!" Inu-Yasha defended himself hotly. "It's just that I need to get through here, there's no other way. This is the only road that leads to where I'm going. I'll battle my way through you to get there." He paused for a moment, his ears twitched. "Why are you here anyway?" He asked suspiciously. "This is the road of humans. And we all know how you feel about them." He ended sarcastically. Sesshoumaru brushed a strand of his hair away from his eyes and the crescent moon on his forehead gleamed.

"How I feel about them is none of your business. However, why I am here is." He replied coolly. Inu-Yasha was taken back. His hands slowly closed around the Tetsusaiga.

"If you are going to try and take Father's sword away from me again," he hissed. "Try thinking again!"

"No, at the moment, I have no interest in your sword." Sesshoumaru looked bored. "I am simply headed down this trail to wherever it leads me. Especially to where that maiden lives…" He trailed off slowly, watching his brother's ears perk up from the corner of his golden eyes.

"Maiden…?" He prompted.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru turned to him, a sly smile playing on his lips, a facial expression Inu-Yasha didn't know he had. "The maiden I'm sure you've also encountered, isn't that why you're here?"

"How did you know?!"

"Of course I would know. I know everything."

"Well, I don't know what you want with a human girl, but I just want to get that little rat. She tried to steal the Shikon Jewel from Kagome."

"That could be the reason you're here." Inu-Yasha didn't like the look in Sesshoumaru's eyes at all. Does his older brother know something that he doesn't? "Or…could it be that the crescent moon you've seen on her is the reason you're so interested?"

"Maybe…" Inu-Yasha's voice was a low growl as he eyed the crescent moon on Sesshoumaru's forehead. "You know something, Sesshoumaru. You know something that I don't. What is it? What do you know about that brat?"

"Ah…I see you're interested." Sesshoumaru began to walk slowly down the trail. Inu-Yasha followed uncertainly. Sesshoumaru _never_ walks, so when he does, that could only mean one thing: He's up to something.

"Of course I'm interested." The hanyou snapped. "You know something that I don't. Something that you know that I want to know."

"Am I to believe that you, my little half-brother, wants to know something from me?"

Inu-Yasha stopped walking and pulled out the Tetsusaiga. "Stop playing around, Sesshoumaru. What do you want? I know you want something, you're playing around with me. And you and I both know that we couldn't despise each other more."

_Sesshoumaru knows something. _He seethed with anger and annoyance. _Something in which he won't tell me! He knows something about that girl!_

"I know many things that you don't." Sesshoumaru's voice was cool and monotonous.

"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to beat the truth out of you?!" Inu-Yasha finally yelled, taking the position of battle.

"You're welcome to try, for I'd like nothing better than to take the life out of you, little brother." Sesshoumaru continued walking, turning and viewing Inu-Yasha with contempt. "But now is not the time. We mustn't arrive to palace with battle scars. This is a respectable visit, not a one to boast of ability."

"You know, Sesshoumaru." Inu-Yasha, though still angry and scowling, set away the katana and viewed Sesshoumaru with a curious air with a fleck of respect for the first time. Sesshoumaru sounded educated and refined, unlike the common thief he was few months ago. "What _is_ going on? For once, you're acting your age. What? Have you met that wench as well?"

"Frankly, yes."

"…" Inu-Yasha was quiet, not knowing exactly how to put his questions. "…well?" Sesshoumaru stopped walking and sighed.

"Well what?" His brother's stupidity really gets him sometimes. How could that dumb hanyou not smell it?

"That girl…" Inu-Yasha, forgetting that he was conversating with Sesshoumaru, his very worst enemy at times, cocked his head and tried to place his finger on exactly what was it about that maiden that had him so out of his mind.

Sesshoumaru eyed his brother tiredly with bewilderment, then gave another heavier sigh. He guessed his brother really couldn't tell who she was, even with her aura as clear as day.

"Inu-Yasha, Inu-Yasha…" He shook his head, taking the patience. "You're just as senseless as usual. But what did I expect from you?"

"That whelp…" Inu-Yasha muttered to himself. "There is something so familiar about her."

"That 'whelp', is our sister, Inu-Yasha." Sesshoumaru cutted in calmly, as if stating the weather or the scenery. Inu-Yasha froze and felt his heart stop. "_Your_ younger sister and my _half_-sister."

"No…" Inu-Yasha managed to force out a shocked whisper.

"No." Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose with detestation. "I can't believe you haven't detected your mother's scent on that girl. It reeks as though I was smelling _you_."

_So that's why! _Inu-Yasha's brain screamed. _Her scent was like Mother's and mine! But I have a _sister_?! HOW?! How come I never knew this!? _

"H-how come…I never knew this…?" He shook his head with disbelief and remorse, still trying to overcome his trauma.

"Your ignorance and stupidity, no doubt." Then, Sesshoumaru, seeing how dejected Inu-Yasha was, said in a gruff voice with a gentle tone that he had never used expect once in a while with Rin. "But, you were pretty young when you were alone."

"Yeah…" Inu-Yasha swallowed hard, but forced himself to get over the death of his mother, which he had never really gotten over. "Well, come on!" He barked and began arrogantly strutting down the trail. "Don't you want to meet that sister of mine?"

Sesshoumaru grimaced and followed after the hanyou. _Fool. I've never met such a fool in my life. And I just had to be related to him._

However, as if in knowing that there's stronger bond tying them together, Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru forgot—for the moment—that they were enemies, and reunited together to find the mysterious maiden.


	4. Lady Crescent Moon

Young Lord Kagewaki Hitomi walked down the long hardwood _engawa_ and stopped in front of an _amado_. He slowly slid it open and peered in quietly. An elderly woman that sat beside a young, sleeping girl, looked up.

"How is she, Mamotu?" The young lord walked in silently.

"Doing better, Lord Kagewaki." Mamotu nodded. "Madame Mikazuki has really used up her energy this time, it will take longer than usual for her to recover. She is now in a deep sleep to concentrate on healing."

"Has she taken any food?"

"As you've ordered, my lord Kagewaki." Mamotu bowed her head respectfully as Kagewaki sat down on the grass-woven sleek floor. He held his sleeves as he reached down and gently brushed her bangs away, before laying a hand on her forehead. Then, he sat back and sighed.

"I have forbidden her to exeunt out of the palace alone and have warned her to stay away from any demons that are wounded. But Mikazuki refused to listen. She's never listened to my heeding."

"She is still young, my lord." The old woman smiled. "She has much to learn."

"She has the heart of a miko, but is hasty in making her decisions." Kagewaki continued, looking disheartened. "If she would only paid more attention to her lessons, she will become a very powerful priestess yet."

"The young is always hasty, as you were once, my lord." Mamotu smiled.

"Yes, but she's blossoming into a young woman, she must have the proper training of a miko." He sighed again. "That was also her mother's last wish."

"Ah, the Lady was a gracious one. And her daughter will be just like her when times come." She patted the twenty-three-year-old prince fondly. "I know how fond you were of her, Kagewaki. You have never gotten over her death, have you?"

"No." He shook his head and said softly. "One of the reasons why I must protect her daughter from further harm."

Lord Kagewaki thought back to the nameless lady that had stumbled across castle entrance with her child that dark raining night, faint with illness. Upon the late Lord Kagewaki's orders, they took her and her infant daughter in, giving them the best medical care. Kagewaki Hitomi was only eight that time, but he could never forget the first feeling of motherly love from the ill woman.

He remembered little things about her, such as the wonderful way she smelled, like flowers after the rain, and the way she smiled at him, with such love and kindness in her eyes. He remembered the warmth and tenderness of her hug, but all of those memories, treasured they were by a boy who had lost his own mother. Never knowing his own mother, Kagewaki accepted Mikazuki's mother as his own and appointed himself as Mikazuki's own personal caretaker.

But the Lady, as they called her, were not with them long. She never got over her illness and soon passed away, leaving her daughter solely to Kagewaki.

_We are brother and sister, _Kagewaki thought as he reached and brushed a strand of ebony hair from the finely featured face. _The closest of playmates and friends, role of father and daughter, guardian and ward, young man and young woman, there really is no words to describe our relationship._

* * *

Mikazuki walked along the open-aired porch that was used as walkway toward Kagewaki's room. The skirt of her kimono rustled as she walked. Her kimono was not the traditional kimono. It was more like a heavy, full white skirt and a violet sleeveless over a top with long, white sleeves and gauze shawls hanging about. It was layers of clothes over lapped and put on that turned into elegance. Because of her being brought up in nobility, most of the style of her kimono was more based upon grandeur rather than traditional.

"You must study harder, Madam," She grumbled to herself as she remembered what her teacher had said. "You must master the skills of a priestess, for it is Prince Kagewaki's wish." She pushed her heavy hair away from her face and sighed, shaking her head, as if clearing if of all unhappy thoughts then reached up and pulled out the flower _kanzashi_ from her hair, letting down the most luscious raven black hair.

Mikazuki tucked away the tiny flower pin that held her hair together and looked back at the waterfall of hair that trailed behind her like a train of a dress. Her hair was almost double her height, and her trademark beauty. Kagewaki had never allowed anyone to cut her hair ever since she was an infant. Because of the Lady, he had explained, her mother's hair was just as long as hers was now. Anyone could fold the hair up at her ankle and the tip of the hairs would still be able to reach the top of her head. The princess of the castle tousled her hair as she walked into Kagewaki's room.

"How was your lessons today, Mikazuki." Kagewaki greeted her with his usual calm and composed way, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"Fine, my lord." She wrinkled her nose and sat down beside him, taking care not to sit on her dress. Her hair, as usual when it's down, make a thick, space consuming carpet behind her.

"Now," the young prince cocked his head. "I know when you call me that, it means you're unhappy with me about something. Now, what is it you're unhappy with?"

Mikazuki sighed and played with a silky strand of her midnight hair. "I don't want to become a miko. Why do I have to become a miko?"

"Because you're growing into a young lady and because of our regal family title, the peasants all look up to you. You must set a good example. We need a good priestess. And if you simply try harder, you have the power to become the most powerful miko yet."

"Why can't things stay the same…?" She shook her head sadly as her deep amethyst orbs under the thick, long lashes took a mischievous tone.

"Well, we all have to grow up and accept our responsibilities sometimes—" Kagewaki was still lecturing when Mikazuki jumped up and smirked. He looked up at her, surprised, when he recognized the mischievously look she had in her deep dreamy eyes that she always had when she was younger. He groaned and raised to shield himself.

"Oh, God, not this…"

"So I'm 'growing up,' that doesn't mean I can't still whoop you!" She said gleefully as she seized a pillow and started pummeling the young lord with it. "You're getting too old! Always lecturing like an old man. You're still young, Kagewaki!"

"We're too old for this…_I'm_ too old for this, Mikazuki!" Kagewaki was protested behind the pillows. "I'm twenty-three!" The princess of the palace just giggled.

"Then think young!" Finally giving in, Kagewaki grabbed a white pillow himself and the two "big/little" lord and lady began trouncing each other like there's no tomorrow. They didn't stop until a loud "Ahem" caught their attentions. Kagewaki sat up in a hurry and put on his most unexpressive, stern expression. Mikazuki picked herself up from the _tatami_ floor and patted her raven black hair hastily, which had spread even more apart in their tumble and was now just a large cloud of glossy darkness.

"My lord," their main head servant, Soutei, cleared his throat and reported. "There are words that two demons are headed this way. Shall I raise up our defenses and summon the priests?"

"What sort of demons?" Kagewaki stood up, looking concerned. Mikazuki began cleaning up the feathers that had escaped from the pillow. "Do they mean harm?"

"We're not sure, sir, but it would be in our best interests to prepare for the worst." Kagewaki nodded.

"Handle everything the way you think should be planned. I trust you, Soutei. You were my father's best man." The man bowed.

"Thank you, my lord."

Mikazuki sighed after their head servant left. "See, growing up is not fun at all. I really don't want to be a shrine maiden and the commoner's idol. I just want to…I don't know…" She shook her head. "Live a normal life."

"It's your mother's wish that you become a priestess." Her guardian reminded, gently laying a hand on her head. "As for me, I agree with her. You and I, of all people, know that you're nothing 'ordinary' and 'normal'."

"I know." His protégé's voice was a whisper.

"And…" He added. "You have the powers of a miko, which is the safest thing you could be around this environment. That's what our people needs."

"But been dubbed the 'Goddess of the Crescent Moon'? Having people chase after yelling, 'Touch the Princess Crescent Moon's robes and you'll be healed of all your sickness!' I don't particularly like it, Kagewaki."

"Neither do I, it's too dangerous." He sighed also. "But we cannot defy the wishes of fate and destiny."

* * *

"We're almost there." Sesshoumaru stated calmly.

"I know!" His brother snapped, obviously nervous. The lord demon looked over at his half-brother and smirked.

"Are you nervous, brother?"

"What do you _think_?!"

"Have no fear, and leave this all to your big brother." Inu-Yasha snorted.

"Feh. Like I'll leave everything to you? I place no trust in you."

"Then why are you following me like the puppy you are?"

"…Because we're going the same way!" Inu-Yasha huffed and turned his face the other way. "So…" He asked curiously. "What exactly do you have planned when we get there?"

"Of course," Sesshoumaru waved a hand casually. "Blow a hole in the palace to make our entrance, kill anybody that stands in my way, grab the damsel in distress, and make our exit." Inu-Yasha stopped walking.

"You're not serious!"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "Of course not, Inu-Yasha. But you're too dense to realize that."

"Shut up." Came a mumble.

"Relax, Inu-Yasha. You're going to make a bad first impression. And you're going to ruin my reputation."

"I should just cut you into pieces right now!" Inu-Yasha whipped out the Tetsusaiga. "Don't think I won't." What reply he got from his brother was a fist on his head. "…OW…What in seven hells was that for?!"

"Quiet. We're here."

"My Lord Kagewaki," a guard knelt facing the ground in front of Kagewaki. "There are two demons out there by the name of Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, and Inu-Yasha, his brother. They want to be granted the permission to meet you, my lord."

"Inu-Yasha?" Kagewaki's eyes narrowed. _I've heard of that name, as well as Sesshoumaru._ He nodded and gave a wave. "Let them in."

Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha were led in by Soutei.

"Beautiful landscape, Master Soutei." The demon lord remarked like a perfect guest that never loathed humans.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru." Soutei replied shortly, though pleased. It was not in his nature to trust demons…_any_ demons. Inu-Yasha, on the other hand, was suspicious about Sesshoumaru. Why was his brother making such a big effort? He hated humans, _everyone_ knows that.

"Lord Kagewaki," Soutei bowed as he beckoned Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru into the large greeting hall. "Here are the guests."

Kagewaki nodded a greeting, his dark eyes steadily fixed on the pair of brothers. "Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, Inu-Yasha of…" He trailed off, realizing he does not know what to add to that. Inu-Yasha gave a smirk.

"Heh. Don't bother with all that fancy language. All I care about is girl of yours—" A fist descended upon his head. "Ow…darn it, Sesshoumaru, what the hell!?"

Kagewaki sat up from his divan, alarmed. "Girl…?" He questioned in a dangerously tight voice.

"Lord Kagewaki," the older silver-haired demon said in a soft, chilly voice, too low to be heard by the other people in the greeting hall besides Kagewaki.

"May we request a private discussion…just the three of us?"

* * *

A clear, authentic melody softly flowed out into the hallway. The source of the music came from an elegant room near the center of the long wooden hallway.

Mikazuki sighed from behind the intricately-carved koto, which strings she was plucking adequately, so that a delicate, beautiful melody emerged. She looked up from the fragile strings, and sighed again.

"Mamotu," she began.

"Hmm…yes, my lady?" The elderly woman looked up from her embroidery.

"Who is Kagewaki seeing right now?"

"My lord is greeting two demons from far away lands, my lady." From Mikazuki direction came the wrong note of a minor string, causing the whole beauty of the melody to be broken.

"Demons?" She whispered, getting up from behind the instrument. Mamotu looked up and smiled.

"I wouldn't worry, my lady. The prince wouldn't let any danger or harm come near him or the palace."

_But that's not what I'm worried about. Kagewaki is smart enough not to be fooled by demons, I know that. But what demons would look for him? The only demons that we've been in contact with recently were…_

_…those two dog demons that I healed! It has to be them! But if they find me, Kagewaki would know that I've been near demons. He isn't going to be happy to know that, since he's forbidden me to ever get communicate with demons. Any demons._

"Mamotu," she walked to her porch door and slid it open. "I don't feel so good."

"Madam," Mamotu sat up in a rush. "Would you like me to summon the palace doctor?"

"No, no." Mikazuki went on in a hurry. "I'm just going to go and get some fresh air." With that, she grabbed the side of her skirt and jumped off the balcony, landing in the soft grass on her soft slippers, before running for the greeting lobby.

"My lady!"

Huffing, Mikazuki ran into the building and slipped passed the guards. Taking care to hide behind the thin walls that are shielded with paper, she took a peek and nearly fainted from the sight.

_Both_ of them are here! But why are they together?! She pulled back and leaned against the wall. _Aw hell, I know trouble when I see it. _She tiptoed off_. I'll deny it. If I get summoned, I refuse to go._

* * *

"So you're saying," Kagewaki repeated slowly, as if trying hard to digest the idea. "That Mikazuki is actually your sister?"

"_Half_-sister," Sesshoumaru corrected, but nodded. "But yes. That's precisely what I'm saying."

"Then you won't mind me asking this…" Kagewaki's expression was emotionless. "Why is she not a demon?"

"Inu-Yasha's mother was mortal." The youkai lord waved over at his brother carelessly. "As for Father, I have no idea. Speak to his gene pool." His nose twitched just the tiniest bit.

_The pup, she's here. She's listening to us._ Sesshoumaru himself wondered why Mikazuki's scent was not one of half-demon, though her scent wasn't the scent of a mere human either. That's what caught his attention in the beginning. His lips curled at the irony. That maiden had fascinated him. But not her flowery perfume, her hair which was as dark as the night and as straight as ribbons, her becoming authentic clothing, and her soft speech—all of which were exotic and beautiful—but the fact that she smelled different. Her aura had burned with a strange fire. Her exotic scent that could not allow even the great lord to identify or determine whether she was a demon or a human.

"Heh." Inu-Yasha scoffed and twisted his head away, obviously detesting his brother still.

"So, Sesshoumaru, what—"

"Look, Lord Cage saké or whatever your name is," Inu-Yasha interrupted. "All we want to do is see her. Take a look."

"And afterwards…?"

"That we'll talk about _afterwards_." The hanyou finished patiently. Sesshoumaru raised an elegant brow and stared at his brother with disbelief. Lord Kagewaki had lifted _his_ brow and was also watching Inu-Yasha with an air of suspicion.

Sesshoumaru looked back at the young lord. Kagewaki looked as if he was going to reject them and have them thrown out of his castle any minute now. But after a moment, they only heard his voice softly command.

"Soutei, please tell Madam Mikazuki I've summoned her." The old, faithful butler bowed respectfully before leaving for the young princess' quarters.

* * *

"But Madam!" The butler protested five-minute later as he was rejected by the heiress in every way. "The young lord asked for your presence to be presented!"

"I'm busy, Soutei." Mikazuki's violet eyes never left the koto and its fine strings. Her love for this horizontal wooden string instrument began at age three and had grown so passionate for its melody that Kagewaki had handmade one for her himself. The one she's playing on now had been the same one that he hand-carved when he was fifteen and its sweet tone was just as soothing as ever, for the hard-learning instrument had been part of her lessons and she had mastered it remarkably, as no women ever had.

"I know my lady is busy with the instrument, but if you please, the young master is—"

"Tell Lord Kagewaki that I'm currently busy with my studies and wished not to be disturbed." Mikazuki instructed, using her most spoiled and superior tone of voice so that she would be questioned and probed no longer. But inside, she worried.

_What if Kagewaki insisted? What would I do then?_

"My Master," a troubled-looking butler appeared at the front of the door to their room.

"Yes, Soutei," Kagewaki's eyes lit up, but a frown soon replaced it as he saw that Mikazuki was not with the man. "What is Madam Mikazuki?"

"I fear that she's too deeply into her studies to be disturbed, my lord."

Kagewaki's brow went up once again. "Is that so…?" But Inu-Yasha, enraged, jumped up and grabbed the man's shirt collar.

"Drag her out here!" He demanded. "Or I'll ransack the whole palace to find her!"

Sesshoumaro simply sat graciously, ignoring the outburst and pretending he doesn't know Inu-Yasha.

"_Sit down_, Inu-Yasha." Kagewaki's sharp voice sliced through the air and Inu-Yasha, without knowing why, sat obediently. "I _will_ have no rampaging in my castle. All things shall come in order."

Inu-Yasha mumbled under his breath. Kagewaki took a deep breath and stood up, his elegant kimono rustling. "Now then, I guess I shall have to—"

"Demons, my lord!!" An outcry was heard outside in the courtyard of the palace. A guard appeared. "Demons, my lord." He huffed. "Hiten has returned along with his brother!"

"Send out the men." Kagewaki ordered, raising up to his feet in a hurry. "See to it that Madam Mikazuki's safety is the first priority! Hurry now, Soutei!"

"Yes, sir!" The man quickly bowed and hurried away with the guard.

"What is this, Kagewaki?" Inu-Yasha looked around curiously. "Has these demon been threatening the safety of the palace?"

Sesshoumaru also stood up. And though he said and did nothing, his golden eyes darted around, taking in everything that's going around in his surrounding.

"No," the young lord of the castle sighed heavily. "It's quite the contrary. Hiten and Manten are the Thunder brothers, and it seems as though Hiten, the older one, has his mind set on marrying Mikazuki."

Inu-Yasha's jaws dropped against his will. Even Sesshoumaru had turned and was listening with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"And rather than dangerous, it's been rather bothersome. But we could not get rid of the demon. From his love to Mikazuki's sake, he has done no harm, but we fear that continuous rejection from her, and he might—"

"Don't worry, Kagewaki." Inu-Yasha smirked, drawling out the Tetsusaiga. "I'll take care of this."

"It might not be necessary—" Kagewaki called, but Inu-Yasha already flew out the window into the grass. The master sighed. Sesshoumaru laid a hand on his shoulders, and said without feelings,

"He never listens."

* * *

"Mikazuki, my love…" A voice called from outside Mikazuki's room. She looked up, startled for a moment as the voice came again. "My flower, my life, I have come here to claim you…again."

The lovesick voice registered in Mikazuki's mind as she flushed a deep crimson. She stood up, enraged, and threw her door open.

The Thunder brothers floated in the sky right outside of her room. And Hiten, his glinting eyes crimson red and his long hair in a braid behind him, peered down at her with a look that made Mikazuki sick immediately.

"Ah, Mikazuki, my heart, my soul, my darling—"

"Save it, Hiten!" She snapped, loosing the last ounce of her patience as she walked out onto the open walkway. By now, the whole yard was filled with men and weapons, taking a precautionary battle position. However, Mikazuki remained in her own battle. "I _told_ you, Hiten! I'm not interested and I never will be! So go and leave us in peace!"

"Such a fiery temper," Hiten tsked with his tongue. "I love your flaming temper, love. But I must tame that tongue of yours after we make you mine." Mikazuki exploded.

"I will _never_ be yours, Hiten!" She threw out, her amethyst eyes flashing a very dangerous fire. "_Never!_" From where Kagewaki was standing, he worried. He knew that his protégé has a short fuse and that look in her eyes proved that the rest of her fuse was gone.

"But my moonlight goddess, don't you want to hear what I have planned for our wedding night?" Hiten protested, having no idea that the patience from the love of his life had just burned out.

"You…you…!" Without another word, Mikazuki yanked the flower kanzashi from her hair and threw it at Hiten's flying wheels with a force that no ordinary woman could have done. The small flowered pin flew through the wheel, shattering it. "Take that!" She snapped as Hiten lost his balance with the gravity of the earth and crashed down into the ground. "Like I'll ever marry a arrogant, flying, tub of insolence like you!"

"Ow…" Inu-Yasha muttered from where he was standing. "That must have hurt."

"The fall, or the insult?" Sesshoumaru asked nonchalantly.

"Both."

"Oh…" The fallen thunder demon moan in the dirt where he's fallen.

"Oh no!" Both brothers turned around, only to find Mikazuki, her expression a mask of horror and her glorious black hair streaming behind her as she ran for the fallen demon.

"Mikazuki, wait!" Kagewaki called out after her. "Don't get near him!"

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes widened as he realized what Kagewaki meant. The young princess had already thrown herself down beside the groaning demon and had pushed back her long sleeves.

The whole court gasped as her fingertips glowing with a light, she gently laid the palms of her hand flat onto the breastplate of Hiten's armor. Her lips murmuring a silent prayer as her whole hand began to radiant. Then her arms, then her shoulders and face. Soon, all the people could see was the blinding light and the little current between their ladyship and the demon.

But Inu-Yasha alone wasn't fooled. He had seen Miroku use this trick too many times on girls. And surely, he wasn't wrong. Cause under the light, he could make out the smug little smirk of Hiten's lips and the flashing of his crimson eyes.

By the time Hiten's hand went up, he was ready.

Mikazuki, on the other hand, had no idea she was being drawn into a trap. She felt her energy being drawn from her soul and through her arms and out of her fingertips into Hiten's very heartbeat. Her pink lips parted to take in a breath of air.

"Please let him be okay." She said silently. "Don't let him die on the account of me. Please—" The prayer died on her lips as the force of a hand behind her head forced her down. Her eyes opened and faced the leering smirk of Hiten. She watched with terror and disgust as he licked his lips. She pushed against him, but the outdrawn of her energy to Hiten's had made her weak in response.

"Ugh…no!" She pushed and struggled. But by now, the Thunder Demon's other arm was up and encircled her waist. "Y-you imbecile, you!" She gritted her teeth and strained against him. There were shouts all around the courtyard but all were too far to do any good before the harm is done.

"Mikazuki, don't move!" Mikazuki heard a shout behind her, but couldn't turn around due to the fact that Hiten's hand was still forcing her to go down to his waiting lips.

"A bit difficult," she cried back.

Inu-Yasha, enraged at the struggled that Mikazuki was going through, swung the Tetsusaiga.

"Mikazuki!" Kagewaki caught the princess before she fell into the ground. The powerful swing had separated his ward with the demon, but had not done either harm. "Come along, now, quickly." He stood her upright. "You hurry along, go inside where it's safer." Handing her off to Soutei, the young prince of the Kagewaki Palace drew himself up indignantly.

"So, you like to play rough with girls, huh?" Inu-Yasha expression was a combination of a growl and a sneer, showing his fangs.

"Ugh! The dog demon, Inu-Yasha." Hiten spat as he jumped up. "So we meet again."

"Yes, and this time, I'm planning to finish you off!!" Inu-Yasha snarled and swung.

"Manten!" Hearing his brother's call, the younger—and more homely—of the brothers swooped down on his cloud.

"We shall meet again, soon, puppy!" Hiten shouted as they flew away at great speed. "And next time, I won't let you off so easy!"

"Easy my butt!" Inu-Yasha yelled back, causing murmurs to break out among the people. "Next time, you'll be _dead_!" He turned away from the demons, only to face a courtyard of people staring at him with suspicion and doubt.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes, then to his own entertainment, bared his fangs at a random man, who gave a squeak and scurried away. "Feh. Useless fools, all of you." He hopped up the steps to where Kagewaki and Sesshoumaru stood, with Mikazuki in between. Sesshoumaru had his arm around the princess, apparently bolstering her with his body.

"Oi," Inu-Yasha nodded, sheathing Tetsusaiga.

"Thank you—" Mikazuki gave a soft murmur before the young master at her side began fussing.

"Look at you. Didn't I tell you not to go near any demon?" He chided. "_Any_ demons? You look as if you're about to pass out any minute now. Come…Mamotu!" He called, and an elderly woman came forward. "Put Madam Mikazuki to bed, immediately. And see to it that she rests and recovers."

"Yes, my lord."

"Hold just one sec." Inu-Yasha, his eyes caught upon something that glowed beneath her clothing and called a halt. To the horror of all onlookers, the hanyou hooked one of his claws on the neckline of Mikazuki's garment, then pulled. He stared, unblinkingly, at the crescent moon that shone with a luminescence from the shoulder blade above her left breast.

Sesshoumaru stared and coughed.

Mamotu gasped and clasped her heart.

Kagewaki slapped Inu-Yasha's hand away and Mikazuki, her face as red as Inu-Yasha's haori, clutched her top and glared at him with flashing eyes.

"Pervert!" She finally shrieked and brought her hand across his face. Inu-Yasha fell sideways at the unexpected blow and was caught at the collar by Sesshoumaru. His older brother looked down at him and smirked.

"Did it hurt?" The demon prince whispered, undignifying himself. Then straightening up, "Let that be a lesson to you."

Then dropped the collar between his claws.

Inu-Yasha's face met the dirt in the matter of seconds.


	5. Lady's Last Words

Kagewaki sat in the silence of his room. The sun was beginning to go down, but the young princess was yet to have awoken. Inu-Yasha was flitting around impatiently, annoying his cadres, while Sesshoumaru busied himself by strolling the garden.

The blinds to his room had been drawn, showing through the slits only the last rays of the western sun. With footsteps as silent as a phantom, the young master of the castle quietly stole up to a chest, half buried under books, scrolls, and maps. By himself, he lugged the giant chest out from its place, raising up a storm of dust. He sneezed, but continued to brush the dust away. Then lifted the lid of the chest.

_Lady, _he thought quietly to himself as he pulled out various objects and set them aside. _How long has it been? It has been a while._ He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, before pulling out a small carved ivory box. _Your daughter has grown up to be a fine young woman. A very fine young woman. How proud you would be, Lady._

A sigh followed on the words, Kagewaki felt a queer regret over Mikazuki. The child he had learned to love had vanished somehow and here was this tall, serious-eyed girl of fifteen, with the thoughtful brow and the proudly poised little head, in her place. Kagewaki loved the girl as much as he had loved the child, but he was conscious of a queer sorrowful sense of loss.

He blew on the box, to clear it off, before opening the lid.

Inside the ivory box were the last items of the Lady that had been left. _Oh Lady,_ Kagewaki thought silently. _How cruel had fate been when it tore you apart from your daughter. It had supplied me with more meaningful smiles, but you…more unshed tears._

He took out an ivory comb and fingered it lovingly. Lady's hair had been as long as Mikazuki's now. Kagewaki remembered how he loved the silkiness and softness of Lady's hair. How he loved to curl about it to take a safe, secure nap.

Setting down the comb, he lifted up a pair of delicate, redwood fan. That had been part of Lady's dowry, originally made by her father to her mother as a wedding gift. The silk linings were sensitively and artistically embroidered with the most intricate design.

Next, Kagewaki picked up a tiny bouquet of lilacs mixed with lavender. The bouquet had been picked by him right before Lady died. And after she died, he had set the dried out blossoms along with the rest of her belongings. He held the flowers to his nose right now and took a deep sniff. Yes, the fragrance brought back memories. Lady had always smelt like lilacs and lavender, which was why he picked them for her in the first place.

At last, he took out the slim envelope at the bottom of the box. He held it, deep in thought.

_Well, Lady. _He closed his eyes. _I guess the time has come. To hear your last words…_

* * *

Mikazuki glided silently down the hallway. The sun had almost finished setting and her strength has finally been regained. She grimaced. _Last time I help that demon._ She thought angrily. _And that puppy, I can't believe he was so shameless. He must have noticed that the crescent only shows when I'm emotional, excited, or exhausted, or no doubt he would have done it earlier. _She stopped in front of the supping room and pulled the door aside.

"Kagewaki," she began, then stopped short. The young prince turned to her, as well as the two dog demons that sat with him.

"Ah, Mikazuki." Kagewaki sat down his cup, and beckoned her to his side. "Feeling better?" He held out a hand and she placed her own there.

"Yes." She arranged herself elegantly against the pillows, her wonderful hair strewn around her, as she eyed the demons with steady, questionable eyes.

"We've never had a proper introduction, have we?" Kagewaki began pleasantly, playing the part of the host perfectly. "This is Lord Sesshoumaru, Prince of the Western Lands." He turned to Inu-Yasha and hesitated just a little. "And this is hanyou Inu-Yasha…his brother." He finished.

"Hanyou?" Mikazuki echoed curiously, eyeing Inu-Yasha, who scowled.

"Yes," he answered sarcastically. "That means I'm only half demon."

"Then how—"

"Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha shared the same father but different mothers." Kagewaki ended quickly, giving Mikazuki a warning look. Mikazuki caught on, and learned that this was a sensitive topic.

"Ah, yes." She said brightly, turning toward Inu-Yasha. "Pardon my rudeness for my earlier display. I have not yet thanked you properly. Though your actions afterwards were…questionable."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Let's hear your appreciation." Was the snotty reply. Mikazuki frowned at the bluntness.

"Thank you." She forced out stiffly. But before Inu-Yasha had time to nod with satisfaction, she matched him shot for shot. "Let's hear your apology."

"What?!"

"For your ill-mannered performance right afterwards."

Inu-Yasha glared at the girl without speaking. Alone, Mikazuki of the Kagewaki Palace was unaffected by his piercing gaze. The girl's soft violet eyes held Inu-Yasha's. In the end, Inu-Yasha looked away.

"Feh." He snorted. "It was not ill-mannered. It was called 'helping-myself-get-some-answers.'"

"Answers of what? My—"

"Silence." Came of voice lined with boredom and authority. Eyes turned toward the demon lord, who sat quietly throughout the exchange, sipping his drink.

"Inu-Yasha," he continued. "We're here strictly on business. None of your fooling around will do."

"_My_ fooling around?! Who are you to—" Inu-Yasha began, but a look from his brother's golden eyes silenced him.

There was an uncomfortable silence after that. Until Kagewaki cleared his throat and explained more to Mikazuki than the whole group.

"They're here upon family matters." Mikazuki looked mildly interested.

"Oh? Family business? What sorts? What does it have to do with us?"

Inu-Yasha let out a humph. "Oh, you'd surprise of how you're related to all of this."

"Me? Do explain, my dear hanyou." The princess's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Kagewaki eyed his protégé and the demon, who flushed deep red, and sighed. If this was supposedly a pair of siblings, how are they going to get along?

"Ha! You want to know how you're related this all this, let me tell you—"

"Inu-Yasha," Sesshoumaru interrupted with an emotionless, calm tone. "I do believe I told you to shut up."

"Listen, you—" There was a hiss from the demon lord and Inu-Yasha once again became silent.

"Child," the Prince of the Western Lands directed his steady voice toward the raven-haired maiden.

"Yes, my lord?" Inu-Yasha scowled at the respect in his sister's voice as she spoke to their brother. Why didn't he receive any of this respect? After all, the respectable brother in the family was him, not Sesshoumaru.

"Where are your parents? Why does your scent not represent either mortal nor demon?"

"My parents?" She echoed, before glancing at Kagewaki. The master nodded encouragingly. Mikazuki lifted her chin up and faced Sesshoumaru squarely. "You are sharp, my lord." A small smile twitched on her lips. "And it is as you say, I am neither demon nor human." She turned to Inu-Yasha. "I may be human physically, but like you, Inu-Yasha, I, too, had human mother and a demon father. Demon blood runs through my veins."

"Then why are you not half-demon?" Inu-Yasha pressed. Mikazuki shrugged.

"Speak to my gene pool. I have no earthly idea."

"Child," Sesshoumaru again addressed. "Have you ever know your family?"

"Unfortunately no." She replied. "I was very young when I lost my mother. My father passed before I was born. I fear that he had not known my existence before he passed."

"Oh, he had known of your existence, pup." Was the abrupt reply. "He had left something for you as well, and to this day, I've been waiting for you to grow up."

Mikazuki struggled to stand up. Even standing up, next to Sesshoumaru's sitting form, Mikazuki wasn't too much taller than him.

"Who _are_ you?" Her velvety violet eyes were wary. Sesshoumaru let out a rare chuckle.

"No, no. That's not the question. The real question is: 'Who are _you_?'"

Mikazuki remained silent. Kagewaki, listening quietly from the side, grew anxious between the siblings' exchange. As much as he wanted to go through this conversation, he knew that this was something Mikazuki had to go through alone.

"Sit down, pup. Let me tell you the whole story." Sesshoumaru beckoned, waving a clawed finger. Inu-Yasha also settled on the floor more comfortably. To Kagewaki, it was as if it was story time as both younger siblings scooted closer to the demon prince.

"It was a long time ago." Sesshoumaru began. "All over the lands, war was breaking out. My father was a _taiyoukai_ and also king of the Western lands, which I now possess." Inu-Yasha gave a silent snort. Sesshoumaru gave him an icy glare before continuing. "I was a very young pup when my mother passed away, from the wound results of a especially gruesome battle." He heard the soft gasp from Mikazuki. He smiled ruefully. Human girls were more sentimental than demonesses all right.

"Father mourned for the loss of my mother, but could not take proper care of me by himself. He soon fell deeply in love once again and remarried. But not to another demoness, as I have expected, but to a mortal human."

"Was she beautiful?" Mikazuki whispered, stars in her eyes.

"Yeah, was she beautiful?" Inu-Yasha egged on, though a bit stiffly. This was about his mother after all. Sesshoumaru was quiet for a minute.

"I suppose she was the beauty of the land," he replied, also rigidly. "But that did not improve my feelings for her. I disliked her, because she had taken away my father's love for my mother, his devotion to her after her death. And she was human, an insult upon my late mother."

"How tragic…" Mikazuki murmured.

"Keep going, keep going." Inu-Yasha urged. "Tell the part where I came in." Sesshoumaru cringed.

"Yes, after several years of taking care of me, Inu-Yasha was born. How I wish I had drowned myself back then."

"Was he cute?" Mikazuki squealed. "Was he cuddly and soft and adorable? And his puppy ears!" The hanyou turned several dozen shades of red.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru replied dryly. "Too cute. So cute that he was a pain in the a—" Kagewaki cleared his throat. "Yes, anyway, he was cute. And _very_ fun to torment. He proved to be a worthwhile entertainment."

"Hey, you—"

"Keep going." Kagewaki hastened to say.

"Inu-Yasha was a toddler when his mother once again conceived with child. However, she was only several months into the pregnancy when Father passed, protecting her. Now, that woman had taken away my mother as well as my father. I soon ran away—"

"So you left my mother!" Inu-Yasha jumped up and shouted. "She took care of you and you left her at her moment of need!"

"Inu-Yasha, sit down." Sesshoumaru's voice lined with authority and was not to be trifled with. His brother sat, though the fire in his amber eyes had yet to die.

"I did not leave your mother. Not totally anyway. I watched over her in discreet until her child was born. I felt that was my last duty to Father. Inu-Yasha, you were too young to remember you had a sister, but I…I was with her when she was born, and I was with her as she was taken away along with her mother to be taken care of. But after I had known for sure that she would be taken care of properly, I left. And I have not returned since."

"What happened to Inu-Yasha's mother?" Mikazuki asked, her elegant brow arched and furrowed.

"She had always been a weak and delicate human. She had not been well since Father died and by the time her child was born, she was feverishly ill and weak. It was a miracle that her child survived through her heartsickness. The village women were sure the child wouldn't make it through the winter."

"What happened to Inu-Yasha and her newborn child?" Mikazuki pressed, for the story had captivated her curiosity fully. Sesshoumaru waved a hand under the elaborate kimono.

"Inu-Yasha was a infant toddler. He was always playing and curious in his surrounding. He was lost during the time, and his mother had been too sick to realize that he had wondered off far away."

"What about the newborn?"

"She was brought here. To Kagewaki's castle. Inu-Yasha's mother, with her last strength, was searching for her lost son. But because of her weakened body and feverish heart, she collapsed in the rain—right in front of the Kagewaki gate."

"You knew this all along but you never helped her?" Inu-Yasha's voice cracked as he thought about his mother. "You saw her sick and weak and you never did anything?" He stood up, and pulled out the Tetsusaiga. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru. Thank you for reminding me why I needed to kill you!" He looked up, and Mikazuki saw the burning embers burst into flames.

"Now, now, Inu-Yasha…" She jumped up and petted Inu-Yasha's hair. "Let Sesshoumaru finish talking before killing him." She looked up and saw his puppy ears. With her fingers itching, she couldn't help but gave in to her temptation. She reached up and touched his ears, massaging them between her fingertips. Inu-Yasha turned to her with a look of shock, and she saw the fire in his eyes die down.

"Isn't it exciting, Kagewaki?" The princess smile excitedly as they all sat back down. "Knowing that Inu-Yasha and Lord Sesshoumaru's sister lives with us?" She turned toward the brothers. "What's her name? How do you plan to find her in the castle? We have many maidens here, it would be difficult to tell her apart after fifteen or sixteen years. Human's age a lot faster than demons."

Mikazuki was suddenly aware of the thoughtful look in Sesshoumaru's eyes. She turned to Inu-Yasha and he was also eyeing her with a look she could not identify. Kagewaki looked back and forth uneasily.

"That child, born fifteen years ago, and grew up within the Kagewaki Palace, was you, Mikazuki." Came a voice, so softly it was almost part of the air.

"Me?" Mikazuki felt numb all over. Her heart stopped. She thought about screaming. She thought about running away. She thought about collapsing. But all she was able to do was stand, rock solid still, rooted to the floor. She was surprise, but at the same time, she realized deep down, the child in the story was herself. And the mysterious lady was her mother. For a moment, Mikazuki saw black.

"My father was a dog demon?" She finally cried after her view cleared. "But that's impossible!" She reached out blindly for someone's support, and Kagewaki's arms fell around her, pulling her into an embrace.

"It is true, Mikazuki. It is all true." His voice was husky as he rocked her. She clung onto him.

"What's wrong with having a dog demon for a father?" The brothers seemed offended, though Sesshoumaru's expression remained monotonous.

"It was not meant to be offensive." Kagewaki explained quietly. "The princess suffers from a—personal crisis."

"But what if you are wrong? What if…" Mikazuki searched for the correct words. "What if I am not who you think I am at all? What if it was somebody else? How do we know it was me?"

"Your scent—" Sesshoumaru began.

"Your temper—" Inu-Yasha said at the same time. They both stopped and glared at one another. Now that the story was over, the hostile feeling came back between them.

Kagewaki pulled away from Mikazuki and reached for the envelope in his sleeve.

"I think we shall find the true answer in here." He set the envelope down and set Mikazuki up. "This was the last words left by your mother to you. Before she passed, she had instructed me to give you the envelope on your sixteenth birthday." He hesitated. "Though you're not yet sixteen, I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind if we open it early. I fear this letter might held some answers to the questions that needs to be answered."

Mikazuki nodded and tenderly opened the thin envelope and pulled out the sheets of paper. Soft fragrance of lavender gently wavered from the paper as she read silently to herself.

_My dearest daughter,_

_If you are reading this letter, it means I am with you no longer. Today should be your sixteenth birthday. I'm so sorry I am not there to witness my darling mature from a child to a young woman. My sweet, sweet child, I feel the woe that you have to grow up alone. I never wanted things to happen this way, you are the last thing I have from your father. He passed before you were born, but knowing there was you, he left you something. My daughter, I have held back this message until you're old enough to understand. And now, I believe you are. But keep in mind my sweet, this is a long and dangerous journey, in which you'll need more than yourself. You have two brothers, Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands. Search for them and ask for their help. You must not make this journey alone. And my love, even though I am not with you throughout this time, note this: I do love you, with all of my heart and I will watch over you every day of your life. Find Inu-Yasha, for he is my son… Find both he and Sesshoumaru, for they are both your brothers… Give them my love, for I have loved them both equally as my sons. I love you all, oh, how I love you all. I pray that fate would not be so cruel as to take you all away from me…_

Tears trickled down Mikazuki's face as her eyes swept over the letter. The writing, instead of elegant, flowing letters, was faltering and unsteady, undoubtedly written by an ill, shaky hand. Several splashes of teardrops blotted the now faded ink that burned a pain in Mikazuki's heart that she had never known existed.

Through the short, painful few words of her mother, Mikazuki felt the love radiating. Though it was no where near making up her childhood without a mother's love, for the first time, Mikazuki felt as if she had a mother. A mother that had cared and loved and cherished her, though her presence was absent.

They studied her face and saw that it went still, like a mask, as if someone had just turned off a light. Then her face crumpled. A choked –off sob escaped her throat. A hand flew to her mouth, and she dropped the letter, covering her eyes.

"Mikazuki?" Kagewaki's concerned voice shook her from her thoughts. "Are you alright?"

She handed him the letter and brushed her tears away. "Read it out loud, Kagewaki. My brothers need to hear Mother's last words." Kagewaki breathed in sharply.

"So it is stated." He said softly as he took the yellowing papers. He read aloud and Mikazuki sat stiffly on the _tatami_, her body numb and her fingers cold. The second sheet of paper was left by her father, indicating where her father had left her the legacy.

"What do you propose we do now?" Kagewaki finally asked after the silence.

"I'm going, Kagewaki." Mikazuki found herself saying. "It was both Mother and Father's wish."

"It sounds more like an excuse for the three of us to work together." Inu-Yasha cocked his head.

"It is." Sesshoumaru spoke up. "Both the Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga are needed on this mission. And, where potion is, it's in the Western Lands—_my_ territory."

"Potion?"

"Yes, what Father had left for you, is a purification potion. Or at least something with the same importance."

"How do you know?" His brother wrinkled his nose and his ears twitched back and forth.

"I'm the oldest, I should know. Give Tenseiga to the elder son, Tetsusaiga to the younger…" That was their father's last wish. "Father left the Tenseiga and the Tetsusaiga for us, and the potion—which is as valuable as the Shikon no Tama—is left to his only daughter."

"Why not another sword?" Sesshoumaru fixed his golden eyes on Inu-Yasha with an ennuyé look.

"You don't want Father to die without any teeth, do you?" He asked sarcastically. "No, the Tetsusaiga was given to you to seal your demon blood, as well as give you discipline. Tenseiga for me, to learn to be compassionate. Breath of Divinity however, could do whatever Mikazuki wants it to do. She could purify unclean souls, she could make herself full human or full demon, she could make one wish, she could heal, she could grant people wishes, she could do fundamentally anything with the purification potion—but, _only_ if she has a pure heart."

"Breath of Divinity? Sounds…fancy…" Inu-Yasha remarked.

"Mikazuki, you sure you want to do this?" Kagewaki's disturbed expression was one of concern and worry.

"Yes," her expressions softened at his tone. "That's the only thing I have left of my father. Think of all the good it would do for the village, Kagewaki."

"Or the world." Sesshoumaru put in with a smirk.

"Well, it is getting rather late." Kagewaki stood listlessly and turn to the demons. "Do stay for the night. We shall discuss this more in the morning."


	6. Shadows of the Moon

In the shadows of the moon, Kagewaki slowly walked along the open _engawa_ that encircled the building. The gentle wind of the night whispered and caressed his hair, pushing them back from his face. He stopped and stared up at the full moon.

It was a beautiful night. And it was also the night of the full moon that Mikazuki receives the most power. But during new moon…

Kagewaki shook his head. This journey was too dangerous to consider for his precious child. If he could go along, perhaps…but that was out of the question. Because of his sickly body ever since he was but a child, the physicians of the palace has restrained him from venturing outside the castle often. Therefore, he had rarely been out if not for an important matter.

They suspected he had some sort of internal illness that lay dormant, except when he gets excitable. Then, he must remain in bed for at least two weeks. Coughs, headaches, fevers, and unconsciousness would conquer him for the time, and until they pass again for the time, he was their victim. They do to him as they please.

To the antiquated doctors, it was their ancient belief that their young master had been possessed by an evil spirit, which resides within him. It was until Mikazuki came along, bringing the sunlight into his life, when his spells left him and surfaced less often. It still occurs now and then, and Kagewaki wondered wryly why the news of Mikazuki's newly found brothers didn't put him to bed.

The young Hitomi heir stopped in front of Mikazuki's door and saw that the lamp stilled burned. The silhouette of her figure shown through the insubstantial _amado_. He quietly knocked, then hearing upon her whisper to enter, slid the door open.

"Kagewaki." Mikazuki looked up at him with soft glowing amethyst eyes. "I knew you would come." She slowly ran her ivory brush through her hair, which was now down and covering the _tatami_ floor like a carpet. He sat down and took the brush from her and began to run the brush gently through her silky hair. Soon it became a rhythmic manner.

"Mikazuki, dear. I can tell you have already made up your mind about this expedition." The heir of the palace began quietly, his fingers working into the ends of her hair.

"Mmm…yes, I have." She sighed and relaxed as the rhythm of the brush took the same stride with her beating heart. Kagewaki looked over.

"You do know it would be a dangerous trip?" He cautioned seriously. "And you have only known your brothers for one day, do you trust them?"

"I do. They are my father's sons."

"You're too trusting. No matter what, they are still demons."

"So am I." She replied evenly.

"Physically, spiritually, and emotionally, you're not. Your age, thoughts, action, appearance, emotion, they're all human."

"But technically, I am half demon." Kagewaki sighed and they were silent. The only sounds were the lamp burning steadily and the rhythmic, steady strokes of brush pulling through hair.

"I am going to miss you." Mikazuki heard softly behind her. "Very much." She turned around.

"Oh, Kagewaki, don't feel sad for me." She took his hands in hers and smiled. "I am happy."

"They're thinking of leaving in four days." He couldn't keep the sorrow from his voice. "It's so soon. Too soon."

"It is." A reassuring pat. "But don't worry. I'll do alright." Her older friend tried to smile.

_She's growing up, Kagewaki. It's time to let her go. Let her venture slowly out of your protection and into the world beyond this palace. _Kagewaki sadly let Mikazuki out of his protective grasp.

"I hope…" he had a bit of difficulty finding his voice. He cleared his throat. "I wish, that after you find what you're looking for, you'd come back to me, even though you found your family now. Of course," he added quickly. "It is not a must, I only wish you'd consider it. After all, ever since the day you arrived, we have not been separated. I care for you, you know that. Do consider it, dear."

"Oh, Kagewaki," Mikazuki turned around and took the brush from him. "I _am_ going to return. Do you think I'd run off and leave you now that I found my family? You've cared and loved for me when they weren't there. You were the one that held my hand when I took my first step. You were the one wiping away my tears when I cried. You were the one that took care of me when I'm sick. You were the one that was with me when I laughed. You have been my family. You were _there_. Who could come before that? Who could take your place through the years that had passed?"

"I only wish you'd stay because you find this your home." Kagewaki looked up with solemn eyes. "I wish you'll stay because you love me, not because you think you owe me."

"Of course I'm coming back because I love you!" She cried, giving him a gentle smack on his arm. "I'm shocked you have so little faith in me. We grew up together."

"Of course." He cleared his throat and muttered, standing up. "Well, it has been a rather long and tiring day, sweet. Better get your pretty nose into that pillow if you wish to discuss more in the morning." She scrunched up her nose at him.

"Kiss?" She tilted her head up in their old childish fashion and he tenderly kissed her forehead. She rose herself up and planted her kiss on his cheek.

"Night." He heard her whisper softly from her room as he walked out into the cool night breeze.

"Night."

"Remember, no cooties." She called out, reminding him. He laughed out loud.

"I'll remember."

He heard her door slid close and smiled, feeling just a bit better about the future, but knew that he will miss her more than ever.

* * *

The next three days were busy ones at the Kagewaki Palace, for Mikazuki was getting ready to go with her brothers and there was much sewing for the women of the castle to be done, and many things to be talked over and arranged among the men. Mikazuki's clothing was ample and pretty, for Mamotu saw to that, and, Kagewaki for once made no objections whatever to anything the elderly woman purchased or suggested. More—one evening he went up to Mikazuki's room with his arms full of a delicate pale lavender material.

"Mikazuki, here's something for a nice light dress for you. I don't suppose you really need anymore yukatas, you've plenty of pretty kimonos and gowns in our traditional style, but I thought that maybe you'd like something real dressy to wear if you happen to be somewhere special…or met someone special. I got Mamotu to pick this out in the Village of Silk yesterday and we can get Ketsuya to make it for you. She's got taste, and her fits aren't to be equaled."

"Oh, Kagewaki," Mikazuki's delicate features lit up. "It's just lovely. Thank you so much." She fingered the material lovingly between her fingertips and looked up at her guardian. "I don't believe you ought to be so kind to me—it's making it harder everyday for me to go away."

"Go with my blessing." Kagewaki could only pat her shoulders, for he doesn't know how he would get on without her.

The lavender frock was made up with as many designs and garnishes and sashes as Ketsuya's taste permitted. Mikazuki put it on during the last evening for Kagewaki and played a lovely number on her koto. Her hair had been piled up and her mother's ivory comb held it in place. A few rebellious tresses escaped the teeth of the comb and framed her face.

As the Hitomi heir watched the radiant sweet face and graceful motions, his mind went back to the raining, dark evening when Mikazuki had arrived at the palace. The memory recalled a vivid picture of the odd, frightened infant in wrapped in clothes, the fear in her eyes as she laid their amethyst orbs on him for the first time. Something in the memory brought tears to his own eyes.

He had never quite believed that he was the one that raised Mikazuki up. Back when she was short and scrawny with gapes for teeth and hair falling out of the ponytail, yes, that was his precious treasure, that was the child he raised. But this tall, slender young woman with the romantic sparkling eyes and the soft feminine loving nature that could tame the wild beasts of the forests?

Tears also silvered his princess's cheeks.

_My last day here, the place where I've grown up. The palace I had grown up in, with the people that had shared my happiness, my sorrow, my tears, and my anger. The land that had watched me grew from a spirited little girl to a beautiful young woman._

After the number, Mikazuki quietly excused herself as Kagewaki and Sesshoumaru went over more details of their journey.

"There are two things I must bring to your attention." Kagewaki sat down his cup. Inu-Yasha looked up from his meal and Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow and gave a little sigh. The prince of the palace gave a wave with his arms, and servants were immediately dismissed.

"Now," Kagewaki stared straight into their eyes. "One…" He walked over to the other side of the room and drew from its sheath a sword with gleaming blades that looked as dangerous as it was beautiful. He walked over and placed the tip of the sword on the _tatami_ between the brothers. They eyed it curiously, but understood from one simple sentence.

"You break her heart, I break your neck."

Sesshoumaru ignored the humane act, but Inu-Yasha gave a "feh." Kagewaki, not to be taken as a joke, arched a brow and raised the tip of the blade toward the hanyou's throat.

"Alright, alright." He finally yelped. "Geez…"

"Good." Kagewaki set the sword down and sat. "Now, secondly. Because of Mikazuki's healing power, it is especially dangerous for her to get hurt. She can heal people, but her body itself is vulnerable. She's vulnerable to all sort of damage that touches her body. A thorn could be as bad as a cut, and a cut could render her unconscious. And if she does get hurt, even though it seems not life threatening—perhaps a gash or a very light flesh wound that any other victim would not give a second thought—to her, it could mean the end."

"The end…" Curious, Inu-Yasha pressed.

"…of her life." Kagewaki finished. Inu-Yasha narrowed his eyes.

"Why?"

"It could be explained as…" Kagewaki looked troubled. "Her energy and strength are on loose in her body, ready to be given to someone else at anytime, that they do not do their job as to protect her well. They are not on her side, instead, is simply using her body as a carrier. It's like a wall, ready to fall anytime, that it would offer her no protection." His eyes turned hard. "Whatever you guys plan to do. You cannot let her get hurt. She _cannot_ hurt herself, because her body is like an unprotected village. Anyone could come in and easily destroy her. She cannot protect herself from anything."

* * *

The garden was a dear place that night, still and mysterious dim in the pale radiance of the moonlight. Mikazuki loitered through it in a pleasant silence, not caring to talk.

How she would miss the familiar, soothing running of the small brook. The artistic touch of the small bridge that was set upon it. And the fragrant blossom that bloomed all year round. And all the secret hiding places of her and Kagewaki's old hide-and-seek games.

After her peaceful stroll. She found herself standing in front of her mother's grave. She sighed and sank down next to the marker.

"Hello, Mother." She said softly out loud as she brushed the dried leaves and other nature debris from the inscription. Her mother still remained the nameless lady in her and everyone else's' minds. "It seems as though I will be leaving after all." She spoke to her mother as she always did and told her everything, and finally ending it by tracing the simple letter of her memorial lovingly.

"I'll come back, Mother." She stood up and brushed herself off. "This is my home, no matter how many brothers I find."

* * *

That night, Mikazuki left her lamp burning, as well as lit dozens of scented candles. This would be her and Kagewaki's last night together. She sat, idly staring at her reflection in the mirror.

The soft knock that was expected came and Kagewaki entered, carrying in his hand a small ivory box.

The twinkling light of the lamp and candle cast a rosy glow on her face. He was struck by her ethereal beauty and swallowed hard.

Her skin shone like the moonlight and he saw a teardrop trailing down her cheek. And her eyes, those dark violet pools were so deep and expressive that they seemed to be pulling Kagewaki in within their depth. She had lips that shamed the red, red rose. Her long tresses were caught in the night breeze and danced around her lovely face.

"I don't want to leave you tomorrow." She said tearfully as Kagewaki wrapped his arms around her. She couldn't help herself as she began to sob into his elegant clothes. She was eager to leave days ago, but now that the time had actually come, she couldn't even bare the thought of leaving Kagewaki and her home behind.

"Go. Make me proud of you." He tried saying steadily as he rocked her back and forth.

"I don't want to leave you. Your health—"

"Have no worries about me, Mikazuki. I'll take care of myself. It's you I'm worried about. Just remember, keep yourself safe. Do not let your compassion over others harm yourself. You know how dangerous that is in your case."

"Yes."

"Be sure to watch for the new moons. It may not bring you harm after sunset, but it's the morning that follows that's dangerous."

"I will protect myself."

"Now then, I want to give you some things." He reached for the box. "These were also left by your mother along with the comb. I'm sure they were very precious to her." He handed her the box and she opened them, brushing her tears away.

"A pair of fans. How pretty!" She looked surprised at the left treasure.

"I believe they were carved by your grandfather to your grandmother as a wedding gift."

"How precious!"

"I have something for you too." He gingerly drew from his pocket a black silk ribbon. Attached to it was a crescent shaped moonstone that glowed in the moonlight with some internal power energy. As she drew her breath, he smiled and added. "I thought it might bring you luck. Moonstone, the color and shape of a moon. Your moon."

Mikazuki pulled her hair away and allowed Kagewaki to tie the ribbon as the moonstone rested at the throat.

"Thank you." She whispered, then hugged him fiercely, as the child in her won out. "I'll miss you so much."

"I'll miss you, too, my little love." Kagewaki took the brush from her hands and ran it through her hair. It soon began the familiar rhythm. Stroke, pull, stroke, pull. The room was silent besides the warm presence of each other. And they stayed that way, until the first pink rays of dawn.

* * *

This morning in the Kagewaki castle was especially hectic. Maids and servants hurried in and hurried out. Cooks scattered about. Guards and watchmen shouted across the courtyard to each other. Sesshoumaru sat and refused to talk to anybody, besides offering occasionally cold, sarcastic words. Inu-Yasha bounced from one end of the castle to the other, pestering everything and everything that he stumbles upon.

Kagewaki slid opened his door and viewed his palace with tired eyes and was almost run over by a servant with a basin of fresh crayfish. In the corner of his eyes, he watched, irritated, as Inu-Yasha mercilessly and childishly teased a crab that had lost his way to the kitchen. He rubbed his haggard eyes.

Sleep had not came to him all night, though he flipped and turned and tossed and beat upon his pillow. He was suddenly worried beyond measure lest these two demons were cruel, or insensitive, or even just cold to his precious Mikazuki. What if she was unhappy but was unable to return home? What if she was hurt, and there was no one to take care of her? What if she got homesick and no one cared?

_This will not do, _he said to himself as he strode purposefully down the porch. _I must ask her to rethink._

But it was a happy and beautiful princess who came down the up the steps and into the greeting hall that morning—the first female child to leave the Kagewaki Palace, slender and shining-eyed, in the mist of her maiden veil, her arms full of fresh wild roses. Kagewaki, waiting for her in the greeting room, looked up at her with adoring, sad eyes.

"Good morning, Kagewaki!" She removed the gauzy veil across her face and gave him a light kiss. She beamed down at him, before filling his arms with roses. "Don't they smell sweet?"

"You look fine today." He complimented. Immediately, the effect of the compliment sprinkled across her cheeks becomingly.

"Thank you."

She wore a robe of a light gossamer fabric, very fine and graceful, with a beautiful golden girdle about her waist and a veil to shade her face from the sun. A white cloak trimmed in silver embroidery was also provided as well as a matching veil to cover her hair, which hung down over her eyebrow.

"We should be leaving shortly." Sesshoumaru said his first words of the morning as he stood up and walked out into the courtyard. Mikazuki tried to stay smiling as her eyes teared up. She hugged Mamotu and bid her farewells to Soutei, Ketsuya, the cook, and everyone else in the palace.

"Come on already," Inu-Yasha urged. "It's not as if you're never coming back. You'll be back as soon as we find the Breath of Divinity." He also stalked out of the building into the courtyard bathing in sunlight.

"Good-bye, Kagewaki." Mikazuki was pulled into one last embrace. Her voice was teary as they whispered her final words of love. "If you love me as I love you, then nothing but death can part us two."

He nodded, burying his nose in her sweet smelling hair for the last time, and guided her out the door.

The door banged behind him as he went out with the others, walking out into the morning. Mikazuki draped the shimmering silver veil over head before running down to join her brothers. She was beautiful.

"Good-bye!" She called back as she followed her brothers out into the world.

"Good bye, my little love…" His words were inaudible.

From his position high upon the steps, Kagewaki saw Mikazuki turn back from the path below, before she disappeared, and blew him one last kiss.


	7. And the Journey Begins on a New Moon

Trees wore the richly hued shades of June green and their leafy arms stretched over the paths like a canopy as Mikazuki walked with her brothers. She took one last backward glance at the palace, and felt the crystal-like teardrops softly roll down her complexion.

"Feh. You're pretty when you smile, why did you learn how to cry?" Mikazuki looked back to see Inu-Yasha with his amber eyes fixed on her."I'm not crying," She murmured hoarsely as she hurriedly brushed her tears away.

"Don't be a fool," Inu-Yasha scowled. "I know you are—"

"I am not!" His sister replied hotly. Even though they've only known each other for a few days, it was already quite obvious that they share the same temper.

Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes heavenward and gave a loud sigh as he grabbed her chin and unveiled her face.

"What are you doing?" Mikazuki demanded, trying to pull away. But the younger of her older brothers only gently turned her face so their eyes locked. Then he brushed a thumb across her milky, smooth skin, causing a fresh droplet of moisture to smear as it tried to make its way down her cheek.

"Then what's all this, hmm?" His tone was suddenly softer. He could only imagine how her world had been torn apart. Maidens like her—gently raised girls who were sheltered from the outside world—weren't equipped to handle sudden change. They weren't taught to. Given her upbringing, the half-demon thought she was handling herself remarkably well.

"My eyes are watering." She glared half-heartedly as she pushed his hands away and replaced her veil. "So there. Give up."

"Now, you know you were crying. What's so bad about admitting it?" Inu-Yasha countered.

"I was not crying." She states calmly, her steps quickening to their other brother.

"You were, too!" He argued.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"I AM NOT!" She finally screamed in the most unprincess-like way.

"You are too! You're a terrible liar." He gave an arrogant sigh. "I don't know why you bother lying when nobody believes you."

"I am not a terrible liar." She sniffed. "I can lie better than you."

"You can not."

"I can, too!"

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

"I believe this has gone way off the topic of Mikazuki crying." Sesshoumaru muttered to himself up in the front. His ears were ringing at their voices. He turned around.

"Inu-Yasha, stop bothering Mikazuki."

"Wha—"

"Humph!" She stuck her tongue out before Inu-Yasha could complain. "So there."

"Pup."

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Her tone immediately changed as she caught up to his stride.

"I will need to leave you with Inu-Yasha after we're out of the human territory."

"But why?" A look of contempt was cast to Inu-Yasha, who was trying to catch what they were saying.

"I will join you within a few days. I will count on you two behaving yourselves while I'm gone."

"Yeah, he just has to pick up his ugly idiot toad henchman." Inu-Yasha scoffed, snickering a bit. But he howled when something smacked him by the side of his head.

"Ow!!"

"Ha, you deserved that!" Mikazuki peeked from behind Sesshoumaru's kimono.

"I did not!"

"You did, too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!

Sesshoumaru gave a loud sigh and began walking again, leaving his siblings bickering behind him. This went on for the next two days. However, on the third day…

…the night of the new moon…

* * *

"I'm going down by the river, is that alright?" In her arms, Mikazuki held some clean clothes. Her white silk has been exchanged for a simple, short summer yukata. It was shorter than usual yukatas, because it was made by Mamotu especially to bathe and swim in.

"Why?" Inu-Yasha asked haughtily as he sucked on a blade of grass on a tall tree branch. Sesshoumaru was sitting underneath him in the shade.

"I happen to think hygiene is important, unlike you." She retorted, then looked Sesshoumaru for an answer. He looked up with half-opened eyes and said in his usual monotonous voice.

"Go. There is no danger about." There was a delighted squeal as their sister ran for the river shore not far from them.

Mikazuki set her clothes down on the dry, soft grass and stretched her tired muscles out under the sun. She pinned the narcissi that she had just picked into her hair and went to the stream, where she stood for awhile sunning herself in the brightness of the sun, not realizing that the oldest of her brothers had one of his golden eyes open and was keeping an eye out on her. She hummed a soft tune as she cleansed herself with the scented soap that Mamotu had packed for her.

"Inu-Yasha…" Inu-Yasha looked down to where his brother had just spoken to him.

"What?" He replied lazily. "What do you want?"

"Isn't tonight the new moon?"

Inu-Yasha bolted up from the tree, knocking into the branch above him and raising a waterfall of leaves to fall upon his brother below. He heard Sesshoumaru give a loud curse.

"So?" He tried to act casually. "What about the new moon?" The demon prince smirked.

"You should be careful, no?"

"Feh, I'm always careful."

"Yes, but one must always be more careful when they are human." Inu-Yasha jumped down and landed in front of his brother, his ears flattened.

"How did you know?" He growled lowly. Sesshoumaru, as usual, waved off any threatening act Inu-Yasha had displayed toward him.

"I know everything, little brother." The smirk grew wider. "So, you shall reek of human on the night of the new moon, huh? How interesting. Next time I attack you for the Tetsusaiga, I'll be sure to do it on the night of the new moon." He flexed his poisonous talons just as Inu-Yasha cracked his knuckles. They were just about to have a dog fight when a feminine voice interrupted them from behind.

"New moon?" During their little brother spat, Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha had forgotten about their sister bathing in the river, and now she stands before them.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru withdrew his claws and set them down. "The new moon is tonight. And Inu-Yasha shall be joining you for he is becoming human."

Mikazuki gasped. The new moon! She had forgotten all about it! Having heard nothing after the words "new moon" were mentioned, she hurried toward her pack and stuffed her wet clothes in. Her brothers eyed her curiously as she lift the bag to her shoulders and said in a hurry.

"We must go back." She said in a rush as she looked up at the sky. "The sun shall be setting shortly, we must be back at Kagewaki Palace by then." With that said, she began hurrying along the road that they just came from.

"Wha-what?! Wait—Mikazuki!!" Inu-Yasha was stunned for a moment. But he wasted no time in chasing after the sister that fled from them. Did he sense a smell of fear from her?

"Was that a look of panic I saw in her eyes, Sesshoumaru?" He asked as they flew through the forest. For a girl that complains about the speed they travel, she was sure fast.

"Yes. Something is wrong." Sesshoumaru was right behind Inu-Yasha.

_Is it because I'm turning human?_ Inu-Yasha wondered with concern._ What's so scary about that? I can still protect her._

_There is something that the pup hasn't told us,_ Sesshoumaru was thinking.

_How could I?! How could I have forgotten about the new moon? _Mikazuki thought with frenzy as she ran between the trees and looked up at the sky. The large, red ball of fire was already disappearing down behind the hills. _I'm not going to make it, I'm not going to make it…_ She finally faced the fact with fright that made her dizzy. _What am I going to do?_ She sank down on her knee, sweat pouring down her forehead. _What am I going to do? Kagewaki wouldn't be able to help me this time. I am on my own._

The sun disappeared another inch. In the next few minutes, the sun would be gone completely!

"Oh, God…" She whispered.

The sun slipped beneath the horizon. There was only a thin line of gold now.

_Somebody help me… _Her mind cried as she wrapped her arm around her legs.

The sun disappeared and darkness took over.

* * *

Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru watched with disgust as the hanyou's puppy ears began to disappear. His claws shortened to a normal boy's fingernails as his eyes transformed from the pale, fire orange to a dark, deep violet. His hair was as black as the night and his fangs vanished without a trace.

Inu-Yasha was just a normal boy now, like any human.

Sesshoumaru watched with amusement and almost snickered, but the brothers remembered their sister in time.

"Where is she?!" Inu-Yasha looked about the darkened forest around him. "How could someone with no power run so darn _fast_?" Without waiting for an answer, the now-human-hanyou dropped down upon his knees and began sniffing around on the ground in a dog-like fashion, forgetting that his sensitive sense of smell had gone with his doggy ears and canines.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but his nose twitched with the breeze and his sharp golden eyes observed their surroundings thoroughly.

There was a soft rustle, and he turned toward the source of the sound.

"Inu-Yasha…"

"She's been through here, I can smell her…kinda…"

"Inu-Yasha…"

"She smells kinda different though, unless that's just my nose." He wrinkled his human nose with detestation.

"Inu-Yasha!" It was an order barked this time.

"What?!" He looked up and glared, but his brother only pointed to something a few yards away from them. His eyes widened.

"Her bag!" They hurried towards it. Inu-Yasha lost his voice as he tried to talk next. "Her…clothes…"

"But, where is _she_?" Sesshoumaru grew apprehensively uneasy as he looked around. The demon lord hates it when he couldn't control any situation, and this was a situation he had no idea what was going on.

Something moved in a small patch of tall grass, and being on the nervous wreck as he already was, Inu-Yasha whipped out the Tetsusaiga poised it right in front of a grass. A low purr was heard.

"Meow…?"

A small cream-colored cat stepped out from between the blades of the grass. On her neck, was crescent moonstone hanging on a black ribbon. On her left shoulder blade, was a glowing outline of a crescent moon.

"ARGGHHHHH!!" The whole forest echoed with the brothers' scream of horror.

"It's a cat!" Inu-Yasha gasped, clutching his heart.

"And it smells like…" Sesshoumaru had long lost his dignity and was as horrified as Inu-Yasha was.

"AHHHHH!!"

The cat, meanwhile, had sat down daintily and fixed them with a bored look through her narrowed amber eyes.

"It's her! Look at that glare she's giving me." Inu-Yasha almost whimpered.

"She's a cat… How could she be a cat?!" Sesshoumaru said in a clipped voice. "Our father was a great dog _taiyoukai_. How could his daughter be a _cat_?!"

"Are you suggesting my mother had an affair?" The raven-haired teen snapped, insulted. Without waiting for an answer, he picked up the cat between two fingers by the scruff of her neck. She yowled and twisted under his grasp. "Seven hells! The irony. She's exactly the opposite of me!"

"Like?"

"I'm a demon at all times while she's a human. And my hair's white most of the time while hers are black."

"You're a mutt and she's a feline demoness." Sesshoumaru added helpfully. "You're wild, she's proper."

"And right now," Inu-Yasha peered into the cat's eyes. "Her eyes are the color of amber, like mine before I changed into human. She had violet eyes before she changed."

They both stared at the cat and they both saw the likeness compared to their sister, especially her eyes. She began to purr lowly, and it sounded dispirited.

"She can't talk, can she?" The demon prince asked automatically.

"I suppose not." His brother stroked the cat's soft hair. He hates cat. All cats. But his sister has to be an exception. "You can't talk when you're in your full demon form."

The were silent once again.

"What are we suppose to do?"

"It's dark. We should probably stay here for the night and return to Kagewaki Palace in the morning." Inu-Yasha nodded, the mischievous glint returning to his eyes.

With his hand, he gave a smack right on rump of the cat, above her tail. "Payback for being mean." He snickered. The cat yowled and twisted around, swiping at his eyes with her claws extended. Inu-Yasha dodged it and looked offended.

"Inu-Yasha!" Sesshoumaru's voice was sharp.

"She tried to scratch my eyes out!" Inu-Yasha sound offended.

"Serves you right. Spanking the cat." Sesshoumaru didn't even bother to turn from his position. "Not that you didn't deserve it. I'll spank _you_ the next time you try it." Plucking the animal from Inu-Yasha, the elder of the two dog demons relaxed on the soft grass and gazed up at the midnight sky, scattered with glittering stars, like diamonds on black velvet. It got darker and the stars winked on, one by one.

"You're always going to be on her side, aren't you?" His brother accused, also collapse beside him on the carpet of grass.

"Mmm…" The youkai prince was almost asleep, but before he drifted off, he managed one last insult. "You're always dumber than you look."

"Heh." A snort. "Says you." But Inu-Yasha took one look at the sleeping cat lying beside him. His brother had curled his fluffy stole around her as she lay down next to him, wrapping her in the fur that served as the warmest blanket and softest pillow there ever was.

He gave a slight huff, then turned around and soon allowed the comforting darkness to swallowing him into a dreamless land.

* * *

Birds chirped in the trees above them as Sesshoumaru slowly came to awareness. He didn't immediately open his eyes, but lay motionlessly, listening for any threatening sounds near by. While he had been resting, his nose and ears never quitted working for him throughout the night. And through that, he had found that Inu-Yasha was more careful that he had given him credit for, for his half-brother had also been alert during the night.

Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes, allowing his golden orbs to meet with the golden sunlight. He gave a small yawn behind his hand and turned to Inu-Yasha, who was demon once again. He turned away from Inu-Yasha and twisted his head to Mikazuki. In the early sun that stroke upon her finely chiseled features, their sister looked even more innocent and naïve as she slept, her breathing deep and slow. Her thick, dark lashes almost brushed her cheeks as they formed a crescent shadow underneath. Her hair had not been put up and they spilt across her body.

Sesshoumaru suddenly caught his breath. And he sat up in a hurry.

Mikazuki's hair had twirled and swirled around her body, almost completely covering her like a silk blanket. But beneath, Sesshoumaru realized that their sister had no clothes on. Part of her slender leg peeked from under the cloak of hair, and her whole arm was bare as they held the thick mane, as one would hold their sheet.

Inu-Yasha, by this time, was stirring and one amber eye opened reluctantly. But Sesshoumaru paid him no attention as it finally dawned onto him why Mikazuki's hair was so important. Her own mother's hair had been long, yes. It was a magnificent beauty, yes. But it was also to protect herself from the night of the new moon. Right now, lying in front of him, was a young woman, shielded from the world only by her cascade of ebony hair, which wrapped around her protectively. Twice her height, it safeguarded almost every inch of her body, no matter how she tossed and turned.

"So, she's back to human, huh?" Inu-Yasha's voice came from behind them as he yawned widely. His eyes widened as Sesshoumaru whirled upon him, grabbing his haori.

"She's…not…wearing…any…_clothes_!" He hissed.

"So?" Her brother said boredly. Then, as the thought actually registered his mind, the eyes popped open and his ears flattened.

"It's morning already?" Said a drowsy voice behind them. The two brothers ducked their head and turned around. Mikazuki had sat up and was stretching. Inu-Yasha opened his mouth, but no words came out. They both froze with panic, so much that they couldn't even turn away.

But Mikazuki's hair, like an oyster determined to protect the pearl inside, stubbornly cascaded upon her.

"Uh…I don't know how to say this, Mikazuki—" Inu-Yasha began as he pointed. Mikazuki beamed up at him and struggled to her feet. Both brothers winced as she moved, but as she stood, the only part of her body exposed was her throat and her arms.

"You turned back, Inu-Yasha." She grinned. "You were a human boy yesterday, weren't you?"

Then her face did a 180° change. Clutching her body, she realized that she doesn't have any clothes on. Her face turned red, almost as red as Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha's and she began scrambling around for her pack. She grabbed her clothes and shrieked at her brothers to leave.

They fled for their lives.

But even though they tried to sooth her ruffled feathers on their trip back to the Kagewaki Palace, Mikazuki's gaze was still dark and moody because her brothers had not warned her earlier, but had just stood there and stared.

"This is all your fault, Inu-Yasha." Sesshoumaru grumbled as the pair of brothers retraced their steps back to Lord Kagewaki's castle. "I'm here to guide you and your sister through Father's lands, not baby-sit and chase after her if she throws a tantrum."

"Hey, she's half yours, too." Inu-Yasha pointed out sulkily.

Sesshoumaru understood why Mikazuki would feel offended, though their ignorance was not intended. She was from a respectable background, and felt as if her virtues had been hurt.

Inu-Yasha, however, was never as thoughtful and soon grew fed-up with Mikazuki's short temper. Cat/dog fights erupted in the middle of the forest, while they were rounding a lake, and throughout the soft dewy meadow.

Despite all the hurt prides, Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru fathomed how really dishonored she felt when they saw her fly into Kagewaki's readied embrace.

Nor did they forget the dark look that Kagewaki gave them before taking his protégé back into the house. It haunted them until the young prince summoned them into the greeting hall.

"Her first journey away from home. Her first night out alone." He ranted as he paced back and forth. "And she comes home to me shamed like she was."

"We saw nothi—" Inu-Yasha tried defending, but the lord of the castle as not about to be waved off. He was truly vexed.

"Saw nothing has nothing to do with this!" He turned and snapped. "You should know, Inu-Yasha. You also change on the night of the new moon. Why can't you be more considerate."

"What?" The hanyou's jaws dropped. "How did you know that I change?"

"Never mind that. The point is that Mikazuki was already feeling uncomfortable and you continued to irritate and snide her with rude remarks on the way back."

"That was for self-defense!"

"Don't make excuses, young man!"

"Young?!" Inu-Yasha drew himself up to his full height. Sadly, he was a few inches shorter than Kagewaki. "I'm not a _man,_ I'm a demon. And I can say safely that I'm older than you."

"Body, yes. Concepts, no." Was the firm retort. Inu-Yasha threw up his arms in disgust.

"What were we suppose to do?"

"Not what you did, that's for certain! Oh yes, just stare at her while she wakes and scrambles for her clothes. Why couldn't you have gathered her clothes for her? She even had to ask you to leave. Can you not even leave on your own accord?" Was the demand.

"Feh. She should have known better to protect herself." Kagewaki exploded.

"She is still a girl, going on her first trip away from home! Away from the protection we've given her! She's still ignorant in ways like these! She's never had to protect herself from anything. _I'VE_ ALWAYS BEEN THERE! Now that I'm not, I expect you to take me place and protect her in _my place_!!"

The half puppy shrank back.

"She's a blossoming young lady." The young man continued angrily. "Can you expect her to feel or act otherwise when she realized that she's been sleeping unshielded from the world about two demons?"

"Keh. I was human." The younger demon huffed.

"Nonetheless, a male, I hope." Came the sarcastic response.

Sesshoumaru watched the conversation like a tennis game. Words were thrown back and forth, until Kagewaki, who apparently had the better education, got the better of Inu-Yasha. After bitter words was finish exchanging, and each side was taking a break, then came the soft silk-like voice of the demon lord.

"Lord Kagewaki, I will apologize on the behalf of my brother and myself for what happened last night, even though portions of it were not our fault. It was our fault, however, to have brought upon the feeling of disgrace to Mikazuki." It was a respected and mild speech that calmed down the heir, who nodded stiffly and stood up.

"She will continue the journey with you, so she said herself. No matter what I said to try and change her mind, she refused, saying this was a duty for her to fulfill." A cocky little smile appeared on his features. "Though she said she felt better seeing me again."

Inu-Yasha stared.

Sesshoumaru stared.

"You mean…" Inu-Yasha's eyes darted over to Sesshoumaru. "She…" Kagewaki grinned.

"She was feeling just a bit disheartened, but it was her desire of seeing me again that brought her back. Or else she's a rather strong girl, she would have insisted on continuing your expedition."

"And that lecture?!" Inu-Yasha's fists clenched as he roared. The prince waved a hand dismissively.

"That was from me, made up on the spot. But it was not untrue and I don believe it hadn't done injustice, since you were rather dim-witted." With a parting grin, Kagewaki swept out of the room to visit with his protégé.

The two demons stared at him in openmouthed astonishment. The Hitomi heir was in a spot in the distant before the shock wore off enough for Inu-Yasha and Sesshoumaru to look at one another.

"I think we were manipulated." Inu-Yasha whispered. Sesshoumaru gave one of his rare smiles, more or a smirk.

"Masterfully so."

"We've been cheated!"

"_You've_ been cheated."


	8. Summer Rain

A soft, warm rain poured down, like tears falling from heaven. The sky was a light, flocculent gray.

Shippo sighed as he peered out the window of the little wooden shack that served as dwelling for the time being. They've been living here long enough to take care of any demons that were causing the village any trouble already. And it's been several days when they have nothing to do but to sit and talk among each other.

"It's raining again." He said aimlessly, to no one in particular. Miroku looked up and said thoughtfully.

"It is. And it's getting harder. I rather like the rain, thought. It has always given me…a chummy feeling." His eyes shifted over to the demon exterminator. "Especially if two people are stuck together in some cozy, private, dark—"

"Don't even think about it, Sir monk." Sango's narrowed eyes and her slightly ticked off voice send Miroku back to polishing his staff in a hurry.

"I was just saying…"

"I love the rain." Kagome said as she sat by the little fire they made. Her stormy eyes were dreamy. "Back in my time, it always felt so cozy when you're inside your warm house and you can hear the raining beating softly outside. It's a nice feeling."

"It is, isn't it?" Miroku scooted closer to Kagome, who didn't even need to look over before she said,

"Forget it, Miroku." The monk sighed. The tiny fox bounded over to Kagome and clutched onto her shoulders.

"Yeah, you can try anything to Sango, just don't touch Kagome. She's Inu-Yasha's property. He would kill you if you touch her."

"Hey!" The dreamy look was gone from Kagome's orbs.

"Oh, thanks, Shippo." Sango rolled her eyes. "I can't believe we have to put up with this. It's been over a week. Doesn't your mind go anywhere else, Lord Miroku?"

"Not really." Came the helpless voice. A hand itched out. Sango mercilessly slapped it away.

"Inu-Yasha should be back soon, shouldn't he?" Shippo inquired, his green eyes round.

"He should," Kagome frowned and said slowly. "We haven't heard from him for over a week. I wonder what's going on."

"Didn't," Sango replied doubtfully. "Didn't he say something about a girl before he left. I could be mistaken." She added hastily, seeing how the other girl's body tensed.

"Yeah!" Not feeling the tension, Shippo chimed in excitedly. "Something about a maiden and a moon."

"A maiden and a moon?" Miroku echoed. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds romantic. Maybe Inu-Yasha has finally cracked and is going head-over-heels over a maiden." He closed his eyes sighed happily. "Finally, we're on the same wavelength."

Feeling three pairs of burning eyes on him, Miroku opened his eyes, then slowly etched away. He can't tell whether the ladies' eyes were fire…or ice. He sighed again, with more remorse this time. He can never seem to say the right things, can he?

"When is Inu-Yasha coming back?" Shippo pulled Kagome's hair.

"I don't know. We're going to have to just keep waiting."

* * *

"You're walking too fast." Mikazuki's cries reached Inu-Yasha's ears as he turned back. "How do you expect me to keep up?" He scowled as the rain plastered his hair over his head.

"With your feet." Mikazuki peered up as the rain showered upon her veil. She glared at Inu-Yasha.

"You've been mean ever since Sesshoumaru left two days ago." She accused. "You can walk fast, but just slow enough so I can keep up!"

"We've already wasted enough time." Her brother said stubbornly. "With you and your visit to Kagewaki." He had not stop giving her a hard time about that ever since they left the palace once again.

"Why do you keep bringing that up?!" The maiden was loosing her short temper as well. "Tell me one thing I've done wrong by going back! You got Father's sword sharpened and polished there by our master swordsman, haven't you?"

"You lied with your expressions. I actually felt sorry for you."

"You're suppose to, that's what those expressions are for." Came in insisting reply. Then, a triumphant smirk. "I told you I lie better than you."

Inu-Yasha sputtered, not knowing what to say. Darn it! It's been less than two weeks and already his sister has him cornered. He turned back and returned to walking, her bundle in hands.

"Hurry up," he urged. "I've left my frien—I mean, the people I work with for too long. I have to get back to them. They have the tendency to get into trouble without me there to help them out."

"Really?" For once, his sister's tone was one of respect and admiration. "Can I help?"

He snorted. "Doing what? You can't even get a papercut without passing out. Literally." He added. "Besides, Kagewaki said he'd have my head on a silver plate if I don't keep you safe."

Mikazuki was quiet. So quiet that Inu-Yasha grew apprehensive after a while. His head turned around. "Mikazuki…?"

"I'm on my own now." She said firmly, staring her brother in the eyes. "I left the palace for one reason, Inu-Yasha. To be on my own. To take care of myself, to do what I want to do and what I don't. And I want to do a lot. But they wouldn't let me back at the palace. They always do everything for me. They always protect me from any harm."

"That's…good…is it not?"

"No!" His sister said fiercely. "I want to be in harm's way and to know that I know how to protect myself. I want to do everything I've ever wanted to do that they wouldn't let me."

"Okay…" Inu-Yasha pondered over that concept slowly. "So…what _do_ you want to do?" Mikazuki beamed, under the rain.

"I want to be able to do my own laundry!" She said jubilantly. "I want to cook messes and do things to help people!" A sweatdrop as big as a fist appeared behind Inu-Yasha's head.

"Okay…"

Conclusion: His sister was nuts.

"But really, I want to help you with whatever you do everyday." The princess continued to insist.

"We fight and kill demons." The hanyou thought that would be enough to keep his sister off his back, but behind him came a delighted squeal, crushing his hopes.

"I've always wanted to fight demons! Kagewaki doesn't even let me watch when we have a demon exterminator over." Her voice was disappointed. Inu-Yasha chuckled.

"Well, you'll be living with a demon exterminator soon. Sango's the best demon exterminator in her village."

"Really?! How wonderful!" Inu-Yasha grimaced. All that blood and gore and internal body parts flying apart when they kill a demon? Not wonderful. But anyway, his sister could dream on, it doesn't matter to him.

"We're almost there," he finally nodded ahead. "They're staying just outside of the village, in a little cabin."

"A cabin? I'm so excited to meet them." Like any girl would, Mikazuki automatically patted the wet veil that covered her hair. "Do you think they'll like me?"

"I'm sure they would." Inu-Yasha replied agreeably. He knows that the girls will treat his sister like one of their own and there would be no problem with Shippo, he had always been a favorite to the girls. And Miroku would have absolutely _no_ problem with a new female member in their group, except…

Inu-Yasha pursed his lips. If Miroku dared to try anything with his sister, even his usual greeting of asking the girl to bear his child, he was going to knock him senseless and string him up on a tree by his…

Never mind. He was getting way too enthusiastic.

The rain all of a sudden began pouring as if the sky had suddenly opened up. Mikazuki's silk veil was not protecting her well anymore. Along the horizon of the light smoky sky, Inu-Yasha could just make out a little brown shack. His nose twitched as he smelt ramen.

"It's right ahead!" He had to shout to be heard above the merciless hard beating rain that stung his skin. "Let's run for it before you get soaked!"

"I'm already soaked…"

* * *

"I swear I've been gaining weight." Kagome sighed as she dished out the ramen. "All we've been doing—with nothing else around to do—is eating."

"Eating is good!" The little fox demon licked his lips and reached for his bowl.

But before his chopsticks reached his mouth, the door was suddenly thrown open and two drenched figures rushed in. Shippo, who had been in the way of the first comer, was kicked all the way across the room, his ramen bowl overturned on his head as he sat dumbfounded on a patch of dried straw.

Kagome had been so startled that she dropped the bowl and the chopsticks she was holding. She stared at the soaked figure and then cried out,

"Inu-Yasha!" He looked up, his silver hair plastered on his face.

"Oh, hi." He said casually, shaking the water off himself and onto everyone else. He cocked his head. "Did I kick something when I entered?"

"Yes!" Came an indignant howl. "ME!!"

Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. That fox brat may be part of their group, but to him, Shippo was still a small, burnish-haired irritation.

Sango took this time and looked over Inu-Yasha at the timid figure behind him. "Inu-Yasha, this is…?"

"You knocked my noodles over me!!" Was all she got for an answer as the hanyou and the tiny fox youkai was already engaged in a heated argument.

"Well, that's your own fault, you fox brat! Who told you to eat by the door!" Inu-Yasha sneered.

"Fool!" Shippo screeched back. "Do you see much room in here!? There is too many people as it is!"

"Speaking of which," the monk cheerfully interrupted. "Who is that beautiful maiden over there?" Miroku looked curiously over at Mikazuki. Inu-Yasha noted a hungry gleam in his eyes.

"To you, she's off limits." He growled and bared his fangs. "Don't you dare pucker your lips at her, Miroku. Don't you even cast your gaze over to her. If I ever catch you even fluttering an eyelash at her, I'll kill you and escort you personally to hell." The hanyou looked mad enough to carry out the threat.

After making sure Miroku knows that he meant what he said, Inu-Yasha took his sister and led her to the others. "This is my sister, Mikazuki from the Kagewaki Palace." He introduced with—what the others recognized—as a touch of pride in his voice. Mikazuki gingerly lifted off the white veil that covered her face and hair. Her amethyst eyes, shining and curious, swept over the people in the room, then said softly with a small courteous dip of her shoulders,

"It is my honor to meet you all."

At first, Kagome didn't see the maiden's appeal. She lacked Sango's cool, confident, determined beauty. The woman's features seemed less finely chiseled under the silk that covered her hair and face, and she had none of Sango's noble stature. But the moment Mikazuki lifted up her veil and spoke, Kagome realized her error.

_She is beautiful,_ Kagome felt the air go out of her at the sight of the young woman. In fact, she was so marvelously and spectacularly sculpted that Kagome couldn't find her voice.

Kagome knew Mikazuki was about her own age, but she looked so much more than that. She had the most dazzling elegant face she had ever seen on a girl…features of exquisite delicacy and refinement, framed in a halo of raven's wing black hair. Her mouth was delicious, being full without pouting, the crimson lips just softly touching and curving into finely finished little corners that narrowly escaped being dimpled. She had a sober, grave, meditative expression, as if her spirits were much older than her body. However, when the princess smiled softly at her, it vanished in a sudden answering smile, which seemed an illumination of her whole being, as if some lamp had suddenly kindled into flame inside her, irradiating her from top to toe. Best of all it, it was involuntary, born of no external effort of motive, but simply outflashing of a hidden personality, rare and fine and sweet. With that quick exchange of smiles Kagome and Mikazuki were fast friends forever before a word had passed between them.

_A young priestess… she's really beautiful._ Sango's eyes softened at the sight of the innocent younger girl.

_How cool…a young priestess… She's so exotic and pretty…_ Kagome gave a soft sigh of at the fantasy.

_And that smile… what a sweet smile…_ Miroku stroked his chin with an idiotic grin on his face. _Her elegant face…flowering movements…and a priestess…_

"We're heading out west tomorrow to search of Breath of Divinity, our destination is the Valley of the Crescent Moon. Sesshoumaru will be our guide." Inu-Yasha was saying, despite of everyone else's attention drawn upon Mikazuki.

"Breath of Divinity?" Kagome echoed, finally tuning back to Inu-Yasha's hurrying words.

"Sesshoumaru?" Miroku's face twisted into a look of disgust.

"The land in the west belongs to Sesshoumaru." The hanyou reminded. "He lords over all demons there. Besides, we know nothing about the Western Lands." He told them briefly about his journey, meeting up with Sesshoumaru, what happened at the palace, and the days it took to come back.

"So she's gotta be really careful during the night of the new moon." Shippo nodded thoughtfully. He had howled with laughter when Inu-Yasha described meeting his sister at a cat, which resulted in a swollen bump on his head where Inu-Yasha had bashed his fist in.

"So Princess Mikazuki is your full sister, Inu-Yasha?" Sango questioned.

"Please, just Mikazuki's fine. I don't need a princess in front of it." Her voice was velvety.Humble.

Kagome was thinking as she watched Mikazuki with admiration. _Like a lovely flower. A true young lady. A true princess._

"You hair is remarkable." She added admiringly as she watched Mikazuki ran a brush through it.

"Thank you, Kagome." The girl smiled. "I like your hair too. It's so stylish and so deliciously short. I bet it feels wonderful in the summer. It must be easy to take care of."

"Yeah," the girl from the future agreed. "It is."

"This is an excellently made robe," The demon exterminator exclaimed over Mikazuki's clothes. "It reminds me of what the Water Goddess we encountered wore. The silk is very finely woven and the stitches are practically invisible!"

"It was made by our royal seamstress, Ketsuya. She is a amazing tailor—Oh, that reminds me. Kagome, Sango, I had brought something for you." Mikazuki's voice grew softer, her face timid and childishly excited at the same time. She reached for her pack and untied it. Kagome, Sango, and Shippo's eyes all widened with amazement as the heiress began to spread and lay out exquisite frocks of all color, design, and style.

"My goodness!" Sango gasped.

"Wow…" Kagome's vision were clouded with brilliant rosy pinks, sea greens, powder blues, soft violets, rich wine red, and shiny golden all mixed with elaborate patterns. Short summer yukatas, longer heavier kimonos, skirts of swishy gauze, vests of thick doubled silk, snow-white shirts made of the softest gossamer, and apparels of soft and rich colors all blended in to make the most wonderful collection.

"Pick one." Mikazuki looked pleased. Sango and Kagome both looked delighted at the generous offer. "I had asked Inu-Yasha about your measuring and I figured we could fit into each others clothing. Go ahead," she urged. "Pick a favorite to keep. And the rest we could share as we travel along. That's the reason why I brought so many."

"All this time, I've been carrying women's clothing?" Inu-Yasha looked appalled.

"Oh, be quiet, Inu-Yasha. These are beautiful!" Kagome was still enraptured by the lavish gowns.

"But—"

"Sit." Was the automatic answer. Inu-Yasha slammed into the dirt ground. Barely audible curses were heard beneath the dirt.

"I-I don't know which one to pick." Sango was stammering, her magenta eyes danced from one gown to another.

"Are they not to your liking?" Mikazuki was concerned.

"Oh, no! They are all so lovely that I can't decide!"

The girls pondered and examined all the frocks with giggles of delight at each item. Finally, Sango settled on a fine silk robe that was a rosy cherry pink covered with still pinker roses and butterflies.

The one Kagome finally selected was made of layered semi-sheer panels in blue and green, the color constantly changing, like the sea in the filtered light of clouds. Small iron weights were sewn into the corners at the neckline to keep the silky fabric from slipping of at the shoulders.

"You ladies look as sweet as an angel's kiss." Miroku sighed as if he was in heaven and etched closer to the female flock.

"This is so much fun!" Kagome giggled lightly and spoke up, her eyes shining with laughter though her eyes seemed just a bit wistful, "I wish I was a princess. It must be exquisite being a princess. With all those beautiful priceless items and the will to do whatever you want!"

"I am a princess. All girls are." Mikazuki looked up. "Didn't your father ever tell you that?"

"My father never called me that. He wanted me to be strong." Sango remembered.

"All girls have the same yearning, to be a princess, to be cherished." Miroku whispered to Inu-Yasha, who had a bewildered expression on his face.

"My dad use to call me princess when I was little." Kagome grinned. "He told me all girls are princesses and somewhere out in the world, there is always someone for every little girl who wears a tiara on her heart."

"Hey," Inu-Yasha finally interrupted. "Enough about this princess stuff, when and what are we going to eat?"

"All the ramen's gone, thanks to you…" Shippo muttered.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault!" Inu-Yasha was just about to began another heated conversation but Miroku tapped him on the shoulder and sighed.

"Let's go, Inu-Yasha. Unless we find some small game by nightfall, we're going to go hungry…"


	9. Wolf Trouble

"B-but my lord!" Jaken struggled to stay in pace with Sesshoumaru. "How is it possible? You have never told Jaken you have another whelp besides Inu-Yasha!"

"Well, now you do." Sesshoumaru hurried toward his land, where he will be meeting Inu-Yasha. "She is a sweetheart."

"A-a sweetheart!?" Jaken stuttered. What had happened to his lord during the past few days?

"Come, we must hurry. They will be waiting for us by the beginning of the Western Lands."

* * *

But meanwhile, Inu-Yasha and the group were having a little wolf problem.

"This is the last time, Mikazuki!!" Inu-Yasha bellowed from outside the little village home they were staying in last night. "We're leaving right now!!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Patience is a virtue, brother dear." Mikazuki came out, patting her hair and gave Inu-Yasha a smug look.

She was dressed austerely today. Her glossy dark hair was put high up onto her head, held by a lily kanza. She wore no jewelry beside her crescent moonstone and a kimono made of dozens of different shades of blue, making her look like a mystical maiden appearing from between the waves. Her only adornment was the soft rose of her cheeks and a single lily pinned in her hair. She stole his breath, she looked so lovely. But still, he grumbled,

"We're going to be walking through desserts and swamps today, Mikazuki, no use in a good appearance."

"That's not true, Inu-Yasha!" His sister gasped and clutched her throat. "Why, remember that day when you came into the castle, my first impression of you was that you were a no-good scoundrel. And from that day on, I promised I wouldn't shame our family name further." She gave her brother a sweet smile as Miroku burst out into laughter.

"Yo, Inu-Yasha, you've finally met your match. If I had any doubt that she was your sister, it's gone now."

"She's been baiting him ever since they arrived." Kagome whispered to Sango, wearing one of Mikazuki's plum silk.

"A fine pair, they are." The older girl whispered back. "Can you imagine Sesshoumaru being part of them?"

"Oi, Kagome…" Shippo leaped from Mikazuki and on the raven-haired girl's shoulder. "Aren't we in Kouga's territory right now?"

"So that's why Inu-Yasha is so tense." The demon exterminator chuckled involuntarily.

"I certainly hope we get to see Kouga again. We haven't seen him in a while. I wonder if everything's alright with him."

"Kagome! Sango!" Mikazuki caught up with them and chirped enthusiastically. "Isn't this fun? We get to travel to all sorts of different places and live in different style of houses."

"My guess is you haven't been outside the Kagewaki Palace much?"

"No." Mikazuki played with a strand of her hair and replied with a wrinkle of her nose. "He says it's dangerous. It is quite true, I suppose."

"Hey! Kagome!" A voice came from behind them. The girls turned around. A gust of wind suddenly blew their hair back, and in the young princess's case, blew her kanza clear from her hair. The wind lifted her hair and turned Kagome's skirt into a flaring tulip.

"Kouga!"

"Well, speaking of the devil and here comes the devil himself." Shippo muttered. The wolf demon skidded to a stop in front of Kagome. He barely had time to nod a greeting at Sango before entangling himself around Kagome.

"I have missed you, Kagome!" He grasped her hand. "How have you been faring with the mutt puppy?"

"Kouga!" Inu-Yasha's eyes were flaming as he stormed up to Kouga. "It was downwind. That's why I didn't scent you!" The wolf smiled.

"Keep at it, Inu-Yasha, and someday you'll convince yourself." The air fairly crackled with tension as the two young men stared each other down.

"Oh, Kouga," Kagome cut in pleasantly. "I want to introduce you to someone. Mikazuki—" She turned. And stopped.

Mikazuki's hair, loose around her face and swirled like a dark cloud, wasn't what caught the fifteen-year-old's attention. It was the princess's eyes that held her breath. Mikazuki's body was still and her velvety eyes shone softly as they swept over Kouga and his lean, muscular form. Her lips were parted in quiet awe and her breath was held. Clearly, the heiress of Kagewaki was taken in by the sight of the wolf demon.

"Mikazuki, this is Kouga." She could do nothing but announce loudly, hoping Inu-Yasha hadn't seen his sister's being taken in by his worst nemesis. "Kouga, this is Inu-Yasha's sister, Mikazuki of the Kagewaki castle."

Kouga took the briefest moment and looked behind Kagome. "I'm Kouga." He introduced. "And it's funny, I didn't scent anything hanyou about you? In fact," his nose twitched just a bit. "I couldn't detect any regular aura from you at all."

Mikazuki was still staring with shiny stars in her eyes. It wasn't until Sango nudged her before she realized she was staring. She gasped for air, then said breathlessly, dipping her body into a graceful curve.

"It is my deepest honor to meet you, Kouga." She said softly, lowering her eyelashes. A delicate blush turned her complexion a marvelous mixture of honey and roses. Kouga had already turned back to Kagome.

"Kagome," he went on. "My group and I have just found a bear demon about several miles from here with an extraordinary power. We're thinking it's a Shikon Shard."

"Really?" Inu-Yasha's ears perked up.

"Well, it's too late to do anything now." Sango looked up at the sky. "It's getting dark."

"Yeah," Kagome smiled. "Why don't you join us for dinner. We're not having much, but you could definitely join us."

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha protested. But Mikazuki jammed her elbows mercilessly into her brother's ribs, causing him to bite back a howl and give her the dirtiest look there ever was.

"Please, do join us for dinner!" She added eagerly, her smile irresistible to the wolf demon. Miroku and Sango exchanged a look. Kagome could tell that they knew there was something behind that over-enthusiastic voice.

"Sure, I guess I could join you for dinner. Do you need me to hunt up something for dinner?" He smirked. "Or did the mutt here have that covered?"

"You—"

"Sit!"

"No, no." Sango put in. "Join us. We can head toward the demon first thing tomorrow."

Unfortunately, like all other males out there in the world, Kouga was no different. He had only eyes for Kagome that night. Mikazuki was forgotten as soon as she introduced herself. The schoolgirl could hardly bear watching the puppy love between Kouga and her, as well as Mikazuki and Kouga.

The princess sat away from Kagome and Kouga, but it was not missed by anyone that her eyes never strayed from the wolf demon. And when Kouga left, the whole camp was silent.

Kagome sipped her tea, and allowed her eyes to slide over to Mikazuki, then Inu-Yasha. The hanyou said nothing, his lips were pursed in a tight line.

Then Shippo broke the silence with a snicker. He jumped up next to Inu-Yasha, clasping his hands together against his chest and tried his best to imitate a girl's voice.

"Oh…he is so handsome! I think I'm in love. From now on, I'll have no other love besides him. In fact, I'm going to dedicate my whole life to him—" There was a loud thud as Shippo ended his charade with a cry. "Ow! You didn't have to hit me you know." He rubbed the bump that was beginning to form on top of his head. Mikazuki gave him a dirty look and walked away to her sleeping mat.

Miroku laughed right out loud. "Hey," he remarked with a grin still on his face. "Like brother, like sister. They're going to get along very well."


	10. Dark Side of the Moon

"They should have been here a long time ago." Sesshoumaru said to no one in particular. "That brother of mine always makes thing so difficult."

"If you don't mind me asking, my lord," Jaken looked up at the comely demon. "Exactly who are we waiting for again?" He wished that his lord was only joking when he mentioned Inu-Yasha.

"Inu-Yasha and Mikazuki and their lackeys." Was the answer. Sesshoumaru watched as Rin ran around the large field picking wild flowers. Where were they!? He hated to wait for anything. If it weren't for his newly found sister, he would have the urge to tear Inu-Yasha apart as soon as they appear.

…What is that smell?

It smelled horrid. Like rotten flesh…or maybe it's just human incense. But whatever it was, it didn't smell good. The source of the smell must go.

Sesshoumaru swirled and snarled, preparing to attack whatever that was coming his way, but his younger brother, recognizing the threat, immediately pulled himself into a fighting stance, although he didn't look very impressive, with a huge grin on his face.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, please don't fight right now!" He heard suddenly from behind him.

Inu-Yasha's ears flicked as he stopped and turned his head back and forth.

"Who said that?"

"Me! Me!" A tiny voice yelled beside his ear. The hanyou rolled his eyes and flicked the tiny flea that sat upon his shoulders.

"Oh, it's you, Myoga." He said with a bored sigh. "You're back again? I thought you didn't like Sesshoumaru." He looked over at his brother, a taunting expression on his face.

"What do you mean I didn't like Sesshoumaru? I like both of you!" Myoga sounded offended. Kagome giggled. Mikazuki bent over to peek at the tiny creature that sat upon her brother's red haori.

"This is Myoga." Her brother introduced. "The most useless demon that ever lived on earth. Trust him to disappear whenever there is trouble—" He was complaining when a stunned voice interrupted him.

"P-princess?!" Gazes were adverted to the elderly demon. As for Myoga, the flea demon was as white as paper. "Princess Mikazuki?" Inu-Yasha's eyes narrowed as he poked him.

"Oi, oi, old man. Don't tell me you know her." Myoga crossed his arms and nodded, looking just a bit more composed.

"Of course I know her—hey!" The hanyou's claws closed around the tiny demon. "Lord Inu-Yasha!!"

"Speak up." Inu-Yasha's voice was cold. "Explain yourself."

"What?" Myoga stuttered. Kagome put a hand on the hanyou's elbow.

"Don't be hasty, Inu-Yasha."

"Talk." The demon was relentless.

"I don't think this would be appropriate in front of the child." Myoga looked over toward Sesshoumaru. Inu-Yasha was just about to response by squeezing the life out of his old companion when he noticed something.

A little girl was peeking at the group of stranger from behind Sesshoumaru's robes, and was looking hesitantly towards Inu-Yasha. Her eyes lightened up just a bit when she saw his pretty sister.

Inu-Yasha raised a brow as he took a step closer to examine the new catch, Myoga still in his hand.

"Oh, you've gone and kidnapped a little human girl now?" He smirked. "How unlike you." Jaken chose this time to speak up as he replied for his master,

"Sesshoumaru _saved_ this worthless human brat after she was attacked by a pack of wolf demons."

Sango looked at Kagome. "Doesn't Kouga control most of the wolf demons in this area?" Her friend nodded mutely. Inu-Yasha snorted.

"Figures he'd let his pack feed on innocent human girls."

"This is Rin." Sesshoumaru nudged his ward toward the group of mild, gentle girls, who immediately began coddling the little creature.

"She's so cute!" Kagome squealed. Inu-Yasha humphed, and turned back to Myoga, who was trying with his weak might to escape the giant claws that threatened to crush him.

"Alright, alright!" Myoga wheezed. "I'll tell you. I was there…the night that Mikazuki was conceived."

Mikazuki's face flushed a deep red as Sango coughed, Miroku grinned, and Kagome's eyes widened. Inu-Yasha's ears flicked and Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow.

"You were spying on my parents," Inu-Yasha asked incredulously. "…During _that_ time?"

"No, no, no!" Myoga corrected. "I had to. Why else do you think the princess is human? M'lord's father was a human that night. Full human." Inu-Yasha gasped, and incidentally dropped the demon. Myoga said a silent prayer as he fell to his demise, until a cupped hand caught him just in time. He looked up to see Mikazuki's curious, yet worried, violet orbs.

"Myoga," her voice was soft. "What happened? I thought Father was a taiyoukai, why was he human that night?" She looked toward her brothers. "Didn't you say Father was a taiyoukai?" They nodded.

"He was." Inu-Yasha insisted. Myoga cut in before the hanyou could say more.

"It was m'lord's mortal mother's request. She wanted him to understand the vulnerableness of a human. That night did made him realize how vulnerable his mortal wife was because she was only human, therefore, he created the Tetsusaiga, which is a magical blade created by m'lord's father…to protect his beloved, m'lord's mortal mother."

"How did he become human?" Sango wanted to know, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

"By Breath of Divinity, of course." Myoga nodded on Mikazuki's palm. "You could do anything with that potion."

"Interesting…" Miroku remarked. He looked toward the princess. "And do we know where to find this potion?" She nodded.

"Yes." And pulling a yellowed paper from the folds of her robe, she proceeded to read out loud. "According to Mother, _"_Over the mountains of the moon, down the valley of the shadow. Through the Lonely Canyon, to the Groove of Purple Mist. Behind the Lake of Shine and Mirror, lies the Valley of the Crescent Moon."

"Sounds like a journey, alright." Shippo remarked. "Shall we get going, then?" He turned to Inu-Yasha, then changed his mind and turned to Sesshoumaru. Then frowned, and turned to Mikazuki.

"Who exactly is in charge of this trip?" He questioned. It began as an innocent question, but it turned out to be a dangerous question as a battle was immediately insured.

"Me." Sesshoumaru said with a bored look and at the same time, Inu-Yasha barked, jerking a thumb toward himself. "Me, of course!" Mikazuki interfered,

"I would be in charge, no doubt about it."

Kagome's eyes widened as she realized that the peace of this trip was already disturbed. Sango and Miroku shared a sigh as he finally said tiredly,

"Nobody's in charge of this trip." Mikazuki and her brothers dished out dirty looks to each other.

"All your fault." She hissed. Then, without another word, she stalked forward.

"You brats better hurry up and not take up my time." Sesshoumaru remarked as he followed after his sister. " I really need to go back to my castle. My castle needs me. My servants have no one to serve and the demons of that land are probably crying their eyes out, begging to be killed." He sighed. "I'm sure youkais are already trying to take over my territory."

"I'll slay the demons for you, brother!" Mikazuki's eyes lit up as she stared up at the oldest brother in their family. He looked startled. Inu-Yasha countered, "Mikazuki! That's not ladylike." She turned and stuck out her tongue.

"Who wants to be ladylike at a time like this? Today is the day I give away my princess title. I'm going try my best to be everything Sango and Kagome is!" Abruptly stopping, Mikazuki turned around gracefully with a mischievous, but determined look in her eyes, her hair sweeping behind her as if a light breeze had caressed it. The rest of the group laughed.

Thus became the ecstatic beginning toward where their goal lies.

The journey has finally begun.

* * *

She was as about innocent as they came. The group decided after a week on the road. And what she lacked in confidence and valiancy, she made up in sweetness and thoughtfulness. She could make friends with Naraku.

Overall, even though Mikazuki has inherited the same temper Inu-Yasha has, she's still a very sweet girl. Especially to her brothers so even Inu-Yasha couldn't resist.

On the ninth day of their journey, Mikazuki got her wish. She came into her first contact with a youkai.

"Inu-Yasha."

The hanyou sighed as he stopped and turned around, looking down the hill. His sister had her wrists planted at her hips, her lips into a pout. Then she stretched out her hands and without preamble, stated crossly, "Help me up, for goodness sakes."

Too tired to protect, he reached down to grip the back of her yukata and lifted her out over the mound. When he'd set her down on the ground beside him she gave him that narrowed-eye look she usually gave him and said, dusting herself off, "You just can't bear the thought of taking my hand, can you?"

He snorted. "Like you can't remind me enough about how 'filthy' my hands are." He stopped suddenly and grew very still. So still that for the first time, Mikazuki was afraid.

"What?" She whispered, her eyes darting around, her hands reaching from her brother. "What are you looking at?"

Inu-Yasha didn't say anything, but the next moment, Kagome and Mikazuki found themselves being thrown on the ground as a deafening monstrous roar echoed by their ears.

"Everybody down!" Inu-Yasha threw himself on top of the girls as Miroku grabbed Sango and Rin.

"It's a demon!" He yelled, ducking as a huge paw swept at him. He recovered and found himself staring face to face with the demon bear that Kouga would have found very familiar.

"You stay here! Both of you!" Inu-Yasha yelled, snatching Rin and shoving her at them. "And take her!"

"Inu-Yasha—" Mikazuki couldn't say anything more for the males of the group were already engaged with the demonic bear that had the thirst for blood.

"Hey, it's the ancient art of butt whoop!" She looked on eagerly, as the Kagome sweatdropped beside her.

"Ancient art of butt whoop?" Kagome didn't wait for an answer, pulling her arrows and bow out from the air, she crouched behind their rock. "I've got to help. Why!" She exclaimed. "Why isn't Sesshoumaru helping?! I knew we couldn't count on him. He's almost enjoying Inu-Yasha and Miroku being slaughtered from that expression on his face!"

"And Sango, too!" Mikazuki added, her eyes widened with admiration and awe for the demon exterminator. Kagome waited for a moment, then scrambled from the hiding place towards a tree.

"Stay here!" She whispered. The princess sighed. Everybody's telling her to stay in place. She did "stay here" as the girl had ordered her, but it wasn't any good, for trouble came to her instead. The bear had just been demolished by Sango's boomrang and Tetsusaiga when Kagome's arrow whizzed past.

And struck Mikazuki, slicing through the flesh of her arm. Giving a silent cry, she clutched her arm. But she didn't have time to do anything for after hearing her attempted muffle cry, both Inu-Yasha and Miroku were instantly beside her.

"What happened?" Inu-Yasha demanded, shoving Miroku out of the way. Mikazuki's face was pale as she plastered a smile on her face.

"Nothing." She chirped, as light as she could without wincing from pain. "You'd better go, I think Jaken's having a heart attack." They nodded and called to Kagome, asking her if there's a Shikon shard presence in the bear. After making sure they're gone, Mikazuki sunk down behind the border and groaned, feeling the familiar, loathed weakness that she was already feeling.

"Not good…" She muttered, pulling away her hair, where blood was slowly seeping through and gingerly lifting the sheath from her skin. She gasped when she saw the wound, it was ugly, bloody, gruesome. And would most definitely, to poor Mikazuki's dismay, leave a scar.

"—there's no Shikon here." She heard Kagome say with a sigh. "We only need one more shard, and Naraku has it."

Quickly, as quickly as she could, Mikazuki ripped an inner layer of her robe and tied it tightly around the wound. Then she covered it as best as she could with the sleeve.

"Come on, Mikazuki, where are you? Let's get going."

"Coming!" She called, before scrambling to her feet and hurrying toward her brother. However, she was feeling weaker by the moment, and the more she moved the more she felt the lightheadedness. Inu-Yasha was walking ahead, when he suddenly stopped.

_…! The scent of blood!_

"Mikazuki, are you hurt?" His brows were frowning, a worried expression on his face. Even Sesshoumaru stopped walking and turned to face his sister.

"No." She lied. "It must be someone else." Her brother shrugged.

"It smells like your blood." But he pressured her no more.

Shippo prance on her and had just begun to settle himself on her shoulders, when he spotted something on her upper arm. His sensitive nose twitched, his eyes widened as realization dawned onto him. And before the princess could shush him, he exploded into full panic.

"Blood! There's blood on your shirt, Mikazuki! Your arm!" Inu-Yasha swirled around from ahead and came running up to the petrified kitsune, hysterical at the sight of blood.

"Where?!" He demanded. "Where is it, Mikazuki?!"

"What happened? Let me see your arm." Sesshoumaru was also at her side. Facing her brother, Mikazuki was about to defend for herself. But a wave of dizziness surged through her mind.

"It's nothing much…" Her speech was slurred, but still stubborn. "I don't want you to see it."

"I don't care what you want." The hanyou growled as he took hold of her wrist and pulled back her sleeve, helping himself. She flinched. He saw and gentled his actions. He could tell that it was painful because his sister was biting her lips the whole time he pulled up her sleeves and loosened the blood soaked bandage.

When the wound at least revealed, Inu-Yasha's breath was caught. Even the Lord of the Western Land was speechless. Everyone was horrified.

"Oh God…"

"It's not that bad." She assured them, seeing black through her vision. The last thing she remembered before she passed out was hearing her own voice saying, "I'm sorry…"


End file.
